CITES Documents Required for Rosewood, Holy Wood, Etc. Effective June 23

The Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a notice to the wildlife import/export community announcing amendments to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Appendices I and II.

Amendments Effective June 23

These amendments were adopted at the Conference of the Parties (CoP 15) and are effective on June 23, 2010.

(Party countries of the CITES meet approximately every two years for a CoP15. During these meetings, countries review and vote on amendments to the listings of protected species in CITES Appendix I and Appendix II. Such amendments become effective 90 days after the last day of the meeting unless Party countries agree to delay implementation. The most recent CoP 15 was held in Qatar, on March 13-15, 2010.)

Affected Species Require CITES Documents for Import, Export

Any specimens of affected Appendix I and II species imported into, or exported from, the U.S. on or after June 23, 2010 will require CITES documentation as specified under the amended listings.

The import, export, or re-export of shipments of these species that are accompanied by CITES documents reflecting a pre-June 23 listing status or that lack CITES documents because no listing was previously in effect must be completed by midnight (local time at the point of import/export) on June 22, 2010.

Spotted Newt Added to Appendix I

The following was added to Appendix I¹ and therefore will require CITES documents if imported into, or exported from, the U.S. on or after June 23, 2010:

• Kaiser’s spotted newt (Neurergus kaiseri)

Rosewood, Holy Wood, Etc. Added to Appendix II

The following were added to Appendix II² and therefore will require CITES documents if imported into, or exported from, the U.S. on or after June 23, 2010 (partial list):

• Brazilian rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora) -- listed with annotation designating logs, sawn wood, veneer sheets, plywood and essential oil, excluding finished products packaged and ready for retail trade*
• Holy wood (Bulnesia sarmientoi) -- listed with annotation designating logs, sawn wood, veneer sheets, plywood, powder and extracts. Note that this listing does not include finished products, whether they are packaged and ready for retail trade or not*
• Certain frogs (see notice for details)
• Certain iguanas (see notice for details)

*Note that both of these types of woods are used in the cosmetic industry.

Certain Species Deleted from the Appendices

The following were deleted from the appendices and therefore will no longer require CITES documents if imported into, or exported from, the U.S. on or after June 23, 2010:

• Mariana mallard (Anas oustaleti)
• Cliff spurge (Euphorbia misera)
• Marsh rose (Orothamnuszeyher)
• Swartland sugarbush (Proteaodorata)

(See FWS’ notice for lists of species that have been transferred from Appendix I to Appendix II and amended or new annotation for current species listings.)

¹Appendix I lists species that are the most endangered among CITES-listed animals and plants.

²Appendix II lists species that are not necessarily now threatened with extinction but that may become so unless trade is closely controlled.

(See ITT’s Online Archives or 04/02/10 news, 10040230, for BP summary of CoP 15 voting to protect holy wood and Brazilian rosewood.

See ITT’s Online Archives or 03/10/10 news for FWS announcing its CoP 15 positions on CITES species proposals, etc.)

FWS contact: (703) 358-1949 or lawenforcement@fws.gov

(dated 06/08/10)