SEMINAR “IMPLEMENTATION OF CITES AND PROBLEM OF POACHING IN THE GREEN BELT VELEBIT AREA”, CROATIA

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has the primary objective of ensuring that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

Programmes of CITES are focussed on monitoring the status of species, especially those that are traded with the aim of exerting controls on the trade in those species threatened with over-exploitation. The controls are based on the levels of threat to the particular species. Unlike the Convention on Biological Diversity and Ramsar Convention, CITES does not work through programmes of work. Instead, species are placed in one of three lists according to the degree of protection they need. The species covered by CITES are found in all ecosystems and are representative of all ecosystem types. The work of CITES contributes to the work of the Convention on Biological Diversity on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Secretariat of CBD Convention has recognized the importance of cooperation and synergy with other Conventions and the Secretariat has entered into memoranda cooperation with, among others, CITES Convention in order to cooperate and coordinate activities with a view to facilitating the exchange of relevant information and experience and enhancing synergies in areas of mutual interest (Decision VI/20 on cooperation with other organizations, initiatives and conventions).

The Green Belt Velebit project has started in 2001 as a joint Green Action and WWF Mediterranean Policy Office initiative for the long-term conservation and sustainable development of the large karst landscape system comprising the river basins of Lika, Gacka and Krbava, the Velebit mountain range and the sea channel where the system’s underground streams remerge. During our work we recognized poaching as one of the threats to biodiversity, especially poaching of the wild birds. Therefore we have organized seminar “Implementation of CITES and problem of poaching in Green Belt Velebit area” that was held on 10^th of November 2005 in Gospic as one of the GA and WWF activities taken in order to reinforce hunting legislation with anti-poaching measures, provide customs officers with better tools to counter poaching and increase rejection towards poaching in local stakeholders.

On the Seminar representatives from responsible Ministries presented how to actively implement CITES, what is the role of inspection in this implementation and how is CITES transposed in Nature Protection Law. Also new Hunting Law proposal that was in the same time in the second reading in the Parliament was presented and this was a great opportunity for the Green Action and the floor to discuss main issues from the Law with representatives from the Ministry of Forestry, Agriculture and Water Management and has helped to Green Action for preparation of comments on the Law. Then Green Action presented problem of poaching in GBV area as introduction into the discussion.

Seminar was very well attended (about 40 people) that indicate how people in the area are aware and interested in the problem of poaching (another indicator is vivid discussion during the seminar). Participants came from different backgrounds: hunters, rangers from Nature and National Parks, local NGOs, foresters, County officials and customs officers.

For more information please contact:

Jagoda Munic
Green Action
Tel: ++385 1 4813 097
Fax. ++385 1 4813 096
jagoda@zelena-akcija.hr