[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 10, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36388-36390]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-17421]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) 
Notification; Rescinding of Prohibition of Trade in CITES Listed 
Species With Thailand and Recommendation From CITES Secretariat on 
Prohibition of Trade in Greek Tortoises From Turkey

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Information No. 26.

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SUMMARY: This Notice of Information (NOI) is an update from the 
prohibitions identified in NOI 22 and NOI 25. Specifically, this NOI 
removes the prohibition on trade in CITES listed species and their 
products with Thailand identified in NOI 22, published on July 15, 1991 
(56 FR 32260) and, removes the prohibition on imports of Greek 
tortoises from Turkey identified in NOI 25, published on January 23, 
1996 (61 FR 1780). This Notice includes a revised Summary Of U.S. 
Prohibitions Pursuant To Notices Of Information (NOI).

DATES: This notice is effective on July 10, 1996 and will be effective 
until further notice.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Management 
Authority, Mail Stop 430 ARLSQ, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240 
regarding Notifications to the Parties, or U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Division of Law Enforcement, P.O. Box 3247, Arlington, VA 
22203-3247, regarding enforcement actions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dr. Susan S. Lieberman, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of 
Management Authority, telephone (703) 358-2095, regarding Notifications 
to the Parties, or Thomas L. Striegler, Special Agent in Charge, 
Investigations, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Law 
Enforcement, telephone (703) 358-1949, for enforcement actions.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 22, 1991, the CITES Secretariat 
issued Notification to the Parties No. 636, which recommended that all 
Parties prohibit trade with Thailand in any specimens of species 
included in the CITES Appendices. On April 2, 1992, the CITES 
Secretariat issued Notification to the Parties No. 673, which 
recommended to the Parties that the prohibition of trade with Thailand 
on specimens of species included in the

[[Page 36389]]

CITES Appendices be lifted. The Government of Thailand instituted the 
Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act on March 13, 1992, and this 
legislation was deemed by the CITES Secretariat to be sufficient to 
effectively implement CITES within Thailand. However, the Service 
requested additional assurances from the Government of Thailand that 
CITES would be effectively implemented within that country. Such 
assurances were provided when the Government of Thailand instituted 
Ministerial Regulation No. 2 and Ministerial Regulation No. 4 in 1994, 
which established the list of protected species and the procedures for 
obtaining permits for those protected species pursuant to the Wild 
Animal Reservation and Protection Act. These Ministerial Regulations 
were formally transmitted to the Service through diplomatic channels on 
November 20, 1995.
    NOI 25 (61 FR 1780) contains the background on the concern by the 
CITES Parties for species designated as being subject to significant 
levels of international trade and the remedial measures instituted by 
the CITES Secretariat for those species.
    The subjects of this notice are as follows:
    A. Subject: Thailand: ban on imports and exports of specimens of 
species included in the CITES Appendices from Thailand.
    Source of Foreign Law Information: Thailand's Wild Animal 
Reservation and Protection Act of 1992 and, two Ministerial Regulations 
of 1994, to implement this Act.
    Action by the Fish and Wildlife Service: Since the publication of 
Notice of Information No. 22 (56 FR 32260), the Government of Thailand 
instituted the Wild Animal Reservation and Protection Act in order to 
effectively implement the provisions of CITES within Thailand. In 1994, 
the Government of Thailand instituted Ministerial Regulations No. 2 and 
No. 4 the clarify the implementation of the Wild Animal Reservation and 
Protection Act.
    The Service is satisfied that Thailand has initiated the action 
necessary to sufficiently implement the provisions of CITES within 
Thailand. Therefore, the prohibition on trade in specimens of species 
included on the CITES Appendices with Thailand is hereby withdrawn.
    B. Subject: Turkey: ban on imports of specimens of Greek tortoise 
(Testudo graeca).
    Source of Foreign Law Information: CITES Secretariat Notification 
to the Parties No. 887, issued on November 30, 1995, calls on Parties 
to lift the suspension of imports of Testudo graeca specimens from 
Turkey.
    Action by the Fish and Wildlife Service: Since the publication of 
Notice of Information No. 25 (61 FR 1780), the Secretariat has received 
information from the Management Authority of Turkey relating to its 
implementation of the recommendations of the Animals Committee on 
significant levels of trade in Testudo graeca. The Secretariat is 
satisfied that Turkey, by indicating that no exports of specimens of 
Testudo graeca would be authorized, has initiated the action necessary 
to implement these recommendations. Therefore, the Standing Committee's 
recommendation to the Parties to suspend imports of specimens of 
Testudo graeca is hereby withdrawn. However, since Turkey does not 
allow the export of specimens of Testudo graeca, imports of specimens 
of Testudo graeca from Turkey continue to be prohibited under CITES.

Summary of U.S. Prohibitions Pursuant to Notices of Information 
(NOI)

    NOI22: Effective July 30, 1991.
    NOI23: Effective December 22, 1994.
    NOI24: Effective June 3, 1995.
    NOI25: Effective January 23, 1996.

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                     Country                        NOI No.                         Species                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argentina.......................................           23  Lama guanicoe.                                   
Azerbaijan......................................           23  Felis lynx.                                      
China...........................................           23  Ptyas mucosus.                                   
Ghana...........................................           25  Kinixys belliana, K. erosa, K. homeana.          
India...........................................           23  Rana tigerina.                                   
                                                               Rana hexadactyla.                                
Indonesia.......................................           23  Cacatua sulphurea.                               
                                                               Pytas mucosus.                                   
Latvia..........................................           23  Felis lynx.                                      
Lithuania.......................................           23  Felis lynx.                                      
Madagascar......................................           24  Coracopsis vasa.                                 
                                                               Chamaeleo spp. (except Chameleo lateralis, C.    
                                                                oustaleti, C. pardalis, C. verrucosus).         
                                                               .................................................
                                                               Phelsuma spp. (except Phelsuma laticauda, P.     
                                                                lineata, P. madagascariensis, P.                
                                                                quadriocellata).                                
Moldova.........................................           23  Felis lynx.                                      
Peru............................................           23  Aratinga erythrogenys.                           
Solomon Is......................................           24  Ornithoptera urvillianus.                        
                                                               Ornithoptera victoriae.                          
Tanzania........................................      23 & 24  Agapornis fischeri.                              
                                                               Eryx colubrinus.                                 
                                                               Geochelone pardalis.                             
                                                               Malacochersus tornieri.                          
                                                               Poicephalus crytoxanthus.                        
                                                               Poicephalus meyeri.                              
                                                               Poicephalus rufiventris.                         
                                                               Tauraco fischeri.                                
Ukraine.........................................           23  Felis lynx.                                      
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[[Page 36390]]


    Dated: July 1, 1996.
Donald J. Barry,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 96-17421 Filed 7-9-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P