[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 79 (Monday, April 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20320-20321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10342]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild 
Fauna and Flora (CITES); Listing of Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) 
in Appendix II and its Implementation by the United States; Public 
Meeting

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: With this notice the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) 
announces a public meeting to discuss the implementation of the listing 
of goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) in Appendix II of the Convention 
on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 
(CITES). This listing decision was reached at the Tenth Conference of 
the CITES Parties (COP10) which was held in June of 1997. The listing 
became effective September 18, 1997. The CITES listing covers live 
plants as well as whole and sliced roots and parts of roots, excluding 
manufactured parts or derivatives such as powders, pills, extracts, 
tonics, teas, and confectionary. By listing goldenseal in CITES, the 
live plants and roots are now covered by the Service's regulations 
regarding import or export of wildlife. The focus of the meeting will 
be the export process for goldenseal roots from the United States to 
comply with the requirements of the CITES listing.

DATES: A public meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, will be held on May 18, 
1999, from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, at 
the Holiday Inn Oakland Park/St. Louis Airport. Please note that the 
room for this meeting is accessible to the handicapped.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Rosemarie Gnam, Office of 
Management Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, 
Room 700, Arlington Virginia, 22203. Telephone (703) 358-2095, fax 
(703) 358-2298, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild 
Fauna and Flora, hereafter referred to as CITES, is an international 
treaty designed to control international trade in certain animal and 
plant species that are or may become threatened with extinction, and 
are listed in Appendices to the Convention. Currently, 145 countries, 
including the United States, are CITES Parties.
    The Service is the lead agency for the implementation of CITES. As 
such, we are responsible for implementing decisions from past meetings 
of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (COPs). COP10, the most 
recent COP, was held in Harare, Zimbabwe, in June, 1997. Among the 
decisions taken at COP10, was to include goldenseal (Hydrastis 
canadensis) in Appendix II of CITES. This listing became effective 
September 18, 1997 (see 63 FR 63210).
    Goldenseal is a North American perennial herb valued for its 
medicinal properties; it occurs in one Canadian province and 
approximately 27 States in the United States. Goldenseal is highly 
valued in the U.S. medicinal market, and is becoming increasingly 
popular in Europe and elsewhere. The species suffered severe population 
decreases during the second half of the 19th century due to over-
harvesting for the commercial trade. It is considered to have some 
degree of threat in Canada and 11 U.S. States, and it is classified as 
``very threatened rangewide'' by The Nature Conservancy.
    Much of the goldenseal on the medicinal plant market is wild-
harvested. There appears to be very little legal protection afforded 
this species within its natural range except within designated 
protected areas. Furthermore, management plans for harvesting this 
species appear to be currently lacking, although researchers are 
beginning to undertake field studies of goldenseal ecology. Due to 
concern regarding the over-collection of wild goldenseal within the 
range States of the United States and Canada, the United States 
proposed listing this species in Appendix II of CITES at COP10. The 
species, including parts and derivatives such as finished 
pharmaceutical products, was proposed for listing. The final listing 
was for live plants as well as whole and sliced roots and parts of 
roots, excluding manufactured parts or derivatives such as powders, 
pills, extracts, tonics, teas, and confectionary.
    The listing of goldenseal will provide a regulatory mechanism for 
the export of fresh and dried roots. The aim of this listing is to 
ensure sustainable use and management of wild goldenseal populations.
    With the listing of goldenseal in CITES at COP10, this species is 
now covered by the Service's regulations regarding import or export of 
wildlife. All goldenseal root will now require export permits prior to 
being shipped out of the United States. All goldenseal must be exported 
through ports designated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). 
Each shipment will be inspected by a USDA Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service, Division of Plant Protection and Quarantine (APHIS/
PPQ) inspector at the designated port.
    This public meeting will provide an opportunity for the Service to 
meet with goldenseal exporters and other persons interested in the 
CITES listing. The Service will explain the wildlife regulations that 
will now affect goldenseal exports, and how these requirements will be 
implemented.
    The public meeting will be held in St. Louis because of its 
proximity to much of the goldenseal industry in the United States, and 
the corresponding concentration of affected members of the general 
public.
    The Service has prepared a fact sheet, ``What you need to know 
about exporting Goldenseal'' to help answer questions on the listing 
and its implementation. It is available from the Office of Management 
Authority upon

[[Page 20321]]

request. Written requests should be sent to: Office of Management 
Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 
700, Arlington, Virginia, 22203.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This Notice does not contain new or revised information collection 
for which Office of Management and Budget approval is required under 
the Paperwork Reduction Act. The referenced information collection is 
covered by an existing OMB approval, and has been assigned clearance 
No. 1018-0093, Form 3-200-32, with an expiration date of January 31, 
2001; implementing regulations for the CITES documentation appear in 50 
CFR 23. The Service may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 
required to respond to, a collection of information request unless it 
displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    Author: This notice was prepared by Anne St. John, Office of 
Management Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

    Dated: April 16, 1999.
Jamie Rappaport Clark,
Director.
[FR Doc. 99-10342 Filed 4-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P