[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 75 (Monday, May 24, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5859-S5862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
By Mr. McCONNELL (for himself, Mr. Smith of New Hampshire, Mr.
Kohl, Mr. Frist, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Warner, Mr.
Cleland, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Allard, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Akaka, Mrs.
Feinstein, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Robb, Mr. Grams, Mrs. Boxer, Mr.
Lugar, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Cochran, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Inhofe, Mr.
Mack, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Leahy, Mr.
Campbell, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Helms, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Santorum, Mr.
Lautenberg, Mr. Bunning, Mr. Moynihan, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Wyden,
Mr. Graham, Mr. Reid, Mr. Levin, and Mr. Lieberman):
S. 1109. A bill to conserve global bear populations by prohibiting
the importance, exportation, and interstate trade of bear viscera and
items, products, or substances containing, or labeled or advertised as
containing, bear viscera, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Environment and Public Works.
the bear protection act
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Bear
Protection Act. This legislation, which I sponsored in the 105th
Congress, is aimed at eliminating the poaching of America's bears for
profit. As you may know, bear parts, such as gall bladders and bile,
which are commonly referred to as ``viscera,'' have traditionally been
used in myriad Asian medicines--for everything from diabetes to heart
disease to hangovers, and in luxury shampoos and cosmetics. Due to the
popularity of these products containing bear viscera, Asian bear
populations have been decimated, causing poachers to run to American
bears to meet the increasing demand.
Mr. President, the practice of poaching bears for viscera is both a
national and international problem. Asian and American bear populations
are threatened by high demand for and low supply of bear parts and by
the black market trade in exotic and traditional medicine cures. The
problem is compounded by the fact that the poaching of bears for their
viscera is a very profitable enterprise, and one in which at least 18
Asian countries are known to participate. In fact, bear gall bladders
in South Korea, for instance, are worth more than their weight in gold,
fetching a price of about $10,000 a piece.
Mr. President, each year, nearly 40,000 black bears are legally
hunted in 36 States and Canada. Unfortunately, it has been estimated
that roughly the same number is illegally poached every year, according
to a former chief law enforcement officer with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service. While I am pleased to report that for the most part,
U.S. bear populations have remained stable or are increasing, I
continue to remain concerned about the threat posed by unchecked
poaching.
Since 1981, State and Federal wildlife agents have conducted many
successful undercover operations to aimed at exposing the illegal
slaughter of American bears. As recently as this past February, a group
of State and Federal officers arrested 25 people in Virginia and
charged them with 112 wildlife violations including bear poaching as
part of Operations SOUP, or ``Special Operation to Uncover Poaching.''
Operation SOUP is a major undercover investigation, which has been
ongoing for three years and is aimed at the trafficking of gall
bladders and other bear parts from black bears in Virginia and
Shenandoah National Park.
Mr. President, I have with me two press releases from the Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fishing, as well as an article from the
Washington Post which I would like to have placed in the Record.
Mr. President, as these and other news reports will attest, this
problem with poaching and trading bear parts must be addressed.
Although many States and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are making
efforts to combat this problem, these agencies have neither the funds
nor the resources to adequately solve the problem. Moreover, there are
loopholes created by a patchwork of State laws that allow these illegal
practices to flourish. There are fourteen States in which the sale of
bear gall bladders is legal--eight of those States limit the sale to
viscera taken from bears in other States, and there are five States
that have no law in this regard. This patchwork of State laws enables
poachers to ``launder'' the gall through the States that permit the
sale of gall bladders. As long as a few States allow this action to go
on, poaching for profit will continue.
Mr. President, as I mentioned earlier, this is both a national and
international problem--and it is a growing problem. The Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to which the United
States is a party, has recognized the issue of bear conservation as a
global issue. In fact, CITES has noted that ``the continued illegal
trade is bear parts and derivatives of bear parts undermines the
effectiveness of the Convention and that if CITES parties . . . do not
take action to eliminate such trade, poaching may cause declines of
wild bears that could lead to the extirpation of certain populations or
even species.'' The Convention goes on to say that in order to achieve
this goal, ``submitted and measurable action'' must be taken--this
includes adopting national legislation.
I would like to point out that members of the U.S. delegation to the
CITES Convention contributed to the drafting of that resolution, and in
doing so, made a strong statement about the need to strengthen our
national commitment to eradicating the poaching of bears. Recently, the
Secretariat pointed out that bear poaching is most likely to flourish
in countries that have inconsistent internal trade, import, and export
controls. In such instances where there are differences in national,
Federal, and State laws, the Secretariat asserts that confusion and
enforcement difficulties arise which will contribute to the
availability of bear viscera that can become available for
international trade.
Mr. President, in order to halt the poaching of America's bears, we
need to effectuate legislation that not only prohibits the import and
export of bear viscera, but we need to close the loopholes in State
laws that encourage poachers to evade the law. To effectively reduce
the laundering of bear viscera through the United States, all states
must have a minimum level of protection. We must also stop the import
and export of bear viscera, so that we can shut off the international
trade before America's bear populations suffer the same fate as Asian
bear populations.
The Bear Protection Act will do just that. It will establish national
guidelines for trade in bear parts, but will not weaken any existing
state laws that have been instituted to deal with this issue. The
outright ban on the trade, sale or barter of bear viscera, including
items that claim to contain bear parts, will close the existing
loopholes and will allow State and Federal wildlife officials to focus
their limited resources on much needed conservation efforts.
[[Page S5860]]
Mr. President, let me underscore that my bill would in no way
infringe on the rights of hunters to legally hunt bears. These
sportsmen would still be allowed to keep trophies and furs of bears
killed during legal hunts.
The Bear Protection Act will also bolster America's efforts to
curtail the international bear trade by directing the Secretaries of
the Interior and State, as well as the United States Trade
Representative to establish a dialogue with the counties that share our
interest in conserving bear species. This, too, is an important element
of the legislation because I believe efforts to both reduce the demand
for bear parts in Asia and encourage the increased usage of synthetic
and other natural products as an alternative to beargall should be made
a priority.
Mr. President, it is important that we act now to protect the
American bear population. The United States must take a stand and be an
example to the rest of the world by prohibiting the illegal taking and
smuggling of American bears. If we act now, we can stop the poaching of
bears, which left unchecked, will lead us down a path toward these
magnificent creatures' extinction. That is why I urge my colleagues to
join me in support of this worthwhile legislation.
Mr. President, I ask that the full text of my legislation and
additional material to be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to the printed in
the Record, as follows:
S. 1109
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Bear Protection Act of
1999''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) all 8 extant species of bear--Asian black bear, brown
bear, polar bear, American black bear, spectacled bear, giant
panda, sun bear, and sloth bear--are listed on Appendix I or
II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (27 UST 1087; TIAS 8249)
(referred to in this section as ``CITES'');
(2) Article XIV of CITES provides that Parties to CITES may
adopt stricter domestic measures regarding the conditions for
trade, taking, possession, or transport of species on
Appendix I or II, and the Parties to CITES adopted a
resolution (Conf. 10.8) urging Parties to take immediate
action to demonstrably reduce the illegal trade in bear parts
and derivatives;
(3) the Asian bear populations have declined significantly
in recent years, as a result of habitat loss and poaching due
to a strong demand for bear viscera used in traditional
medicines and cosmetics;
(4) Federal and State undercover operations have revealed
that American bears have been poached for their viscera;
(5) while most American black bear populations are
generally stable or increasing, commercial trade could
stimulate poaching and threaten certain populations if the
demand for bear viscera increases; and
(6) prohibitions against the importation into the United
States and exportation from the United States, as well as
prohibitions against the interstate trade, of bear viscera
and products containing, or labeled or advertised as
containing, bear viscera will assist in ensuring that the
United States does not contribute to the decline of any bear
population as a result of the commercial trade in bear
viscera.
SEC. 3. PURPOSES.
The purpose of this Act is to ensure the long-term
viability of the world's 8 bear species by--
(1) prohibiting international trade in bear viscera and
products containing, or labeled or advertised as containing,
bear viscera;
(2) encouraging bilateral and multilateral efforts to
eliminate such trade; and
(3) ensuring that adequate Federal legislation exists with
respect to domestic trade in bear viscera and products
containing, or labeled or advertised as containing, bear
viscera.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Bear viscera.--The term ``bear viscera'' means the body
fluids or internal organs, including the gallbladder and its
contents but not including blood or brains, of a species of
bear.
(2) Import.--The term ``import'' means to land on, bring
into, or introduce into any place subject to the jurisdiction
of the United States, whether or not the landing, bringing,
or introduction constitutes an importation within the meaning
of the customs laws of the United States.
(3) Person.--The term ``person'' means--
(A) an individual, corporation, partnership, trust,
association, or other private entity;
(B) an officer, employee, agent, department, or
instrumentality of--
(i) the Federal Government;
(ii) any State, municipality, or political subdivision of a
State; or
(iii) any foreign government;
(C) a State, municipality, or political subdivision of a
State; and
(D) any other entity subject to the jurisdiction of the
United States.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' means a State, the District
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin
Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, American Samoa, and any other territory,
commonwealth, or possession of the United States.
(6) Transport.--The term ``transport'' means to move,
convey, carry, or ship by any means, or to deliver or receive
for the purpose of movement, conveyance, carriage, or
shipment.
SEC. 5. PROHIBITED ACTS.
(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), a
person shall not--
(1) import into, or export from, the United States bear
viscera or any product, item, or substance containing, or
labeled or advertised as containing, bear viscera; or
(2) sell or barter, offer to sell or barter, purchase,
possess, transport, deliver, or receive, in interstate or
foreign commerce, bear viscera or any product, item, or
substance containing, or labeled or advertised as containing,
bear viscera.
(b) Exception for Wildlife Law Enforcement Purposes.--A
person described in subparagraph (B) or (C) of section 4(3)
may import into, or export from, the United States, or
transport between States, bear viscera or any product, item,
or substance containing, or labeled or advertised as
containing, bear viscera if the importation, exportation, or
transportation--
(1) is solely for wildlife law enforcement purposes; and
(2) is authorized by a valid permit issued under Appendix I
or II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (27 UST 1087; TIAS 8249), in
any case in which such a permit is required under the
Convention.
SEC. 6. PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT.
(a) Criminal Penalties.--A person that knowingly violates
section 5 shall be fined under title 18, United States Code,
imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
(b) Civil Penalties.--
(1) Amount.--A person that knowingly violates section 5 may
be assessed a civil penalty by the Secretary of not more than
$25,000 for each violation.
(2) Manner of assessment and collection.--A civil penalty
under this subsection shall be assessed, and may be
collected, in the manner in which a civil penalty under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 may be assessed and collected
under section 11(a) of that Act (16 U.S.C. 1540(a)).
(c) Products, Items, and Substances.--Any bear viscera, or
any product, item, or substance sold, imported, or exported,
or attempted to be sold, imported, or exported, in violation
of this section (including any regulation issued under this
section) shall be seized and forfeited to the United States.
(d) Regulations.--After consultation with the Secretary of
the Treasury, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and
the United States Trade Representative, the Secretary shall
issue such regulations as are necessary to carry out this
section.
(e) Enforcement.--The Secretary, the Secretary of the
Treasury, and the Secretary of the department in which the
Coast Guard is operating shall enforce this section in the
manner in which the Secretaries carry out enforcement
activities under section 11(e) of the Endangered Species Act
of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1540(e)).
(f) Use of Penalty Amounts.--Amounts received as penalties,
fines, or forfeiture of property under this section shall be
used in accordance with section 6(d) of the Lacey Act
Amendments of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3375(d)).
SEC. 7. DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING TRADE PRACTICES.
The Secretary and the Secretary of State shall discuss
issues involving trade in bear viscera with the appropriate
representatives of countries trading with the United States
that are determined by the Secretary and the United States
Trade Representative to be the leading importers, exporters,
or consumers of bear viscera, and attempt to establish
coordinated efforts with the countries to protect bears.
SEC. 8. REPORT.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary, in cooperation with appropriate State
agencies, shall submit to the Committee on Environment and
Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Resources of
the House of Representatives a report detailing the progress
of efforts to end the illegal trade in bear viscera.
____
[From the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Jan. 18,
1999]
Joint Effort Tackles Poachers, Illegal Bear Trade
Luray, Virginia.--Earlier today, nearly 100 state and
federal officers arrested almost three dozen defendants
charged with more than 150 state wildlife violations.
Officers executed approximately a dozen search warrants to
further the investigation into the illegal trade of bear
parts. The action is part of the continuing investigation
Operation SOUP, or Special Operation to Uncover Poaching. The
operation is expected to yield one of the largest
prosecutions in the nation's history for crimes relating to
bear poaching and illegal trade in bear parts. Operation SOUP
is a joint effort of the Virginia
[[Page S5861]]
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), the National
Park Service, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Operation SOUP's three-year undercover investigation
involves a three-pronged approach targeting the
commercialization of bear parts used in the jewelry trade;
bear gall bladder and paw trafficking; and poaching by
individuals associated with specific groups suspected of
supplying bear parts. In addition to the arrests made today,
more misdemeanor and felony indictments may follow in the
weeks and months ahead as this joint effort identifies other
individuals involved in poaching and commercial trafficking
of bear parts. By working together, these government agencies
have been able to increase their manpower and resources to
combat the illegal sale of bear parts.
A major aspect of the investigation focuses on the bear
gall bladder trade. This worldwide market is driven by the
demand for its use in traditional Asian medicine. Since the
substantial decline of the Asian bear populations, the
American black bear has been targeted for this trade. One
bear gall bladder may sell overseas at auction for thousands
of dollars. Dried and ground to a fine powder it is sold by
the gram at a street value greater than cocaine.
Details of Operation SOUP will be announced at a press
conference to be held tomorrow, Tuesday, January 19, at 1 PM,
at the Shenandoah National Park administrative headquarters
on U.S. Route 211 east of Luray, Virginia and west of the
Skyline Drive.
____
[From the Virginia Department of Game and Island Fisheries, Jan. 19,
1999]
Successful Joint Effort Tackles Poachers, Illegal Bear Trade
Luray Virginia.--On Monday, January 18, 1999, nearly 110
state and federal officers arrested 25 defendants charged
with 112 wildlife violations, and executed 14 search warrants
as part of Operation SOUP, or ``Special Operation to Uncover
Poaching''. Operation SOUP is a major, on-going, undercover
investigation into illegal hunting and commercialization of
American black bears in Virginia and in Shenandoah National
Park. This three-year investigation has been a joint
operation of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland
Fisheries, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service. Much of the investigation has been
concentrated in the Blue Ridge region of Virginia. Upon its
completion, Operation SOUP is expected to yield one of the
largest prosecutions in the nation's history for crimes
relating to bear poaching and illegal trade in bear parts.
Operation SOUP utilizes a three-pronged approach to combat
this criminal activity. The first has targeted the sale of
bear parts, mostly claws and teeth, for use in the jewelry
trade. Sales of intact bear paws used to make ashtrays and
other trinkets also fall into this category. This
investigation has confirmed that in Virginia there is active
trade in bear parts used for jewelry. Independent of
yesterday's arrests, over the last eight months 12
individuals have been arrested and charged with 94 counts of
buying or selling bear parts in violation of state law.
The second prong of Operation SOUP has targeted trafficking
of gall bladders and frozen bear paws. This aspect of the
investigation has confirmed that significant trade in gall
bladders and bear paws out of Virginia exists, including from
bears within and around Shenandoah National Park.
To further this portion of the investigation, 11 federal
search warrants were executed in Madison and Rappanhannock
Counties in Virginia, and near Petersburg, West Virginia.
They were issued on a combination of homes, businesses and
vehicles. Seized were five vehicles, several freezers, and an
assortment of bear parts, firearms, and cash. Federal felony
indictments may be forthcoming in the weeks and months ahead.
Three arrests made on Monday have connections with
trafficking of bear parts. Additional details will be
released as they become available.
The third prong of Operation SOUP has targeted the poachers
themselves. These individuals are associated with specific
groups that are suspected of being a source of bear parts for
commercial trade. On Monday, 22 individuals were arrested and
charged with a total of 107 state wildlife violations.
Although bear may be legally taken in Virginia by legitimate
sportsmen, these individuals are accused of using illegal
hunting practices to harvest bears. Undercover investigations
in this portion of the operation indicated that some of these
individuals may also have engaged in bear poaching within
Shenandoah National Park where it is unlawful to hunt. This
is still under investigation and may result in federal
indictments for illegal hunting within the park being passed
down in the weeks or months ahead.
At the heart of Operation SOUP are concerns about an
international problem that has a toehold in Virginia. The
bear gall bladder trade is a worldwide industry driven by the
demand for its use in traditional Asian medicine. Many people
from Asian cultures believe bear parts, particularly the gall
bladder, have medicinal value for treating and preventing a
variety of ailments. A single gall bladder can be sold at
auction overseas for thousands of dollars. Dried, ground and
sold by the gram, bear gall bladders have a street value
greater than cocaine. In this operation, 300 gall bladders
were purchased or seized with an estimated U.S. value of
$75,000 and an international value of more than $3 million
dollars. Bear paws also have high commercial value. Bear paws
are purchased as an ingredient in Bear Paw Soup, considered a
delicacy in some ethnic Asian restaurants. A single bowl of
this soup can sell for hundreds of dollars overseas. The
serious decline in the Asian black bear population has lead
to the American black bear being targeted for this trade. The
government agencies behind Operation SOUP are deeply
concerned about these activities and will continue to
investigate illegal bear poaching and trafficking of bear
parts.
____
[From the Washington Post, Feb. 16, 1999]
Bear Poaching on Rise on Shenandoah Region
(By Maria Glod and Leef Smith)
It was early January when the call came in on Jeffrey
Pascale's unlisted phone line: The goods were available. Was
he interested?
A date was set, and Pascale agreed to meet James Presgraves
at a roadside dinner in Stanley, Va. The deal was completed
several miles away at Presgrave's home, where he allegedly
removed an assortment of bear gallbladders from the freezer
and Pascale, an undercover U.S. Park Ranger, paid him $925
for six of the golf ball-size organs.
The purchase of the bear organs was documented last month
in affidavits filed in U.S. District Court in Roanoke in
support of search warrants and signaled to the close of a
three-year state and federal investigation into what
authorities said was a highly profitable loosely organized
bear-poaching ring operating in Virginia's Blue Ridge
mountains. Instead of killing the bears just for their meat
and fur, officials said, poachers were harvesting the animals
for their paws and gallbladders, which can sell for hundreds
of dollars in this country and thousands of dollars in Asia.
No charges have been filed against Presgraves.
As bear populations dwindle in other parts of the world--
victims of excessive hunting and disappearing habitats--
poaching has become increasingly lucrative in North America,
where an estimated 400,000 bears live. Each year, hundreds of
bear carcasses turn up, intact except for missing
gallbladders, paws and claws, according to testimony given to
Congress.
Gallbladders and the green bile they store are prized in
Asia, where they are used in medicine to treat a variety of
ailments, including heart disease and hangovers. Bear paw
soup is considered a delicacy in some Asian cultures and is
sold--off the menu--in some restaurants for as much as $60 a
bowl, investigators say.
``People are willing to pay any amount of money [for a bear
product] if they want it really bad,'' said Andrea Gaski of
the World Wildlife Fund, which monitors bear poaching.
While bear hunting is legal in Virginia, it is illegal, as
in most states, to sell the animal's body parts--including
gallbladders, heads, hides, claws or teeth. Bear hunting is
not permitted in Maryland. Last year, Congress considered,
but did not pass, legislation aimed at halting the trade in
bear organs.
In Virginia, hunters legally kill 600 to 900 bears each
hunting season. Officials say it is unclear how many more of
the population of about 4,000 bears are taken by poachers. In
the most recent investigation, law enforcement officials
seized about 300 gallbladders and arrested 25 people. They
have been charged with offenses ranging from illegally buying
wildlife parts, a felony, to misdemeanor hunting violations.
Authorities said that some of the charges stem from selling
jewelry made with bear claws or teeth, while others target
alleged traffickers in the bear organs. Officials say that
some of the parts sold in Virginia are hunted legally. The
federal investigation is continuing.
The state and federal investigation in Virginia began in
1996 when investigators began receiving tips from hunters
about poaching in and around Shenandoah National Park,
officials said.
Agents ultimately infiltrated the local ring, accompanying
poachers on hunts and posed as middlemen.
``Some of those people were blatant enough that if you left
a business card saying, ``I want to buy gallbladders,' at a
hunting lodge, they would call you back,'' said Don
Patterson, a supervisor with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service who helped lead the investigation.
According to documents filed in U.S. District Court in
Roanoke, Pascale met six times during 1997 and 1998 with
Bonnie Sue and Danny Ray Baldwin at their home in
Sperryville, Va., to purchase bear gallbladders and paws.
During the course of his investigation, according to the
affidavit filed in support of a search warrant application,
the Baldwins told Pascale they had been in business for 13
years, selling about 300 gallbladders annually to customers
in Maryland, New York and the District.
According to court records, the Baldwins said they obtained
their bear parts from several sources including hunt clubs,
farmers and orchards, as well as from the bears that Danny
Baldwin bagged by hunting or trapping.
No charges have been filed against the Baldwins.
Investigators compare the illegal trade in bear parts to
drug trafficking, saying the poachers typically work through
a middleman who delivers the gallbladders and paws to either
local or overseas Asian markets.
[[Page S5862]]
Nationwide, federal authorities have intercepted 70
shipments of bear parts headed to Asian markets in the past
five years, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials.
``If you don't watch this situation and keep your fingers
on the pulse, you can quickly look at it and say, `Where did
[the bears] all go?' '' said William Woodfin, director of the
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. ``We have
an obligation to future generations to make sure the black
bear will be there for them to enjoy.''
____
Conf. 10.8--Conservation of and Trade in Bears
Aware that all populations of bear species are included
either in Appendix I or Appendix II of the Convention;
Recognizing that bears are native to Asia, Europe, North
America and South America and, therefore, the issue of bear
conservation is a global one;
Noting that the continued illegal trade in parts and
derivatives of bear species undermines the effectiveness of
the Convention and that if CITES Parties and States not-party
do not take action to eliminate such trade, poaching may
cause declines of wild bears that could lead to the
extirpation of certain populations or even species;
Recognizing that long-term solutions for the protection and
conservation of bears require the adoption of substantive and
measurable actions;
The Conference of the Parties to the Convention urges all
Parties, particularly bear range and consuming countries, to
take immediate action in order to demonstrably reduce the
illegal trade in bear parts and derivatives by the 11th
meeting of the Conference of the Parties, by:
(a) confirming, adopting or improving their national
legislation to control the import and export of bear parts
and derivatives, ensuring that the penalties for violations
are sufficient to deter illegal trade;
(b) increasing CITES enforcement by providing additional
resources, nationally and internationally, for wildlife trade
controls;
(c) strengthening measures to control illegal export as
well as import of bear parts and derivatives;
(d) initiating or encouraging new national efforts in key
producers and consumer countries to identify, target and
eliminate illegal markets;
(e) developing international training programmes on
enforcement of wildlife laws for field personnel, with a
specific focus on bear parts and derivatives, and exchanging
field techniques and intelligence; and
(f) developing bilateral and regional agreements for
conservation and law enforcement efforts;
Recommends that all Parties review and strengthen measures,
where necessary, to enforce the provisions of the Convention
relating to specimens of species included in Appendices I and
II, where bear parts and derivatives are concerned;
Recommends further that Parties and States not-party, as a
matter of urgency, address the issues of illegal trade in
bear parts and derivatives by:
(a) strengthening dialogue between government agencies,
industry, consumer groups and conservation organizations to
ensure that legal trade does not provide a conduit for
illegal trade in parts and derivatives of Appendix-I bears
and to increase public awareness of CITES trade controls;
(b) encouraging bear range and consumer countries that are
not party to CITES to accede to the Convention as a matter of
urgency;
(c) providing funds for research on the status of
endangered bears, especially Asian species;
(d) working with traditional-medicine communities to reduce
demand for bear parts and derivatives, including the active
promotion of research on and use of alternatives and
substitutes that do not endanger other wild species; and
(e) developing programmes in co-operation with traditional-
medicine communities and conservation organizations to
increase public awareness and industry knowledge about the
conservation concerns associated with the trade in bear
specimens and the need for stronger domestic trade controls
and conservation measures; and
Calls upon all governments and intergovernmental
organizations, international aid agencies and non-
governmental organizations to provide, as a matter of
urgency, funds and other assistance to stop the illegal trade
in bear parts and derivatives and to ensure the survival of
all bear species.
______