[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 233 (Friday, December 4, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75873-75878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30593]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2014-0018; 96300-1671-0000-R4]
Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES);
Seventeenth Regular Meeting: Proposed Resolutions, Decisions, and
Agenda Items Being Considered; Observer Information
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The United States, as a Party to the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES), may submit proposed resolutions, decisions, and agenda items
for consideration at meetings of the Conference of the Parties to
CITES. The United States may also propose amendments to the CITES
Appendices for consideration at meetings of the Conference of the
Parties. The seventeenth regular meeting of the Conference of the
Parties to CITES (CoP17) is scheduled to be held in Johannesburg, South
Africa, September 24 to October 5, 2016. With this notice, we describe
proposed resolutions, decisions, and agenda items that the United
States is considering submitting for consideration at CoP17; invite
your comments and information on these proposals; and provide
information on how non-governmental organizations based in the United
States can attend CoP17 as observers.
DATES: We will consider all information and comments you submit
concerning proposed resolutions, decisions, and agenda items that the
United States is considering submitting for consideration at CoP17, if
we receive them on or before February 2, 2016.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments pertaining to proposed resolutions,
decisions, and agenda items for discussion at CoP17 by one of the
following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-
IA-2014-0018 (the docket number for this notice).
U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing,
Attn: FWS-HQ-IA-2014-0018; Division of Policy, Performance, and
Management Programs; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 5275 Leesburg
Pike, MS BPHC; Falls Church, VA 22041.
We will not consider comments sent by email or fax, or to an
address not listed in the ADDRESSES section. Comments and materials we
receive in response to this notice will be posted for public inspection
on http://www.regulations.gov, or by appointment, between 8 a.m. and 4
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays, at the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Division of Management Authority, 5275 Leesburg
Pike, 2nd Floor, Falls Church, VA 22041; telephone 703-358-2095.
Requests for approval to attend CoP17 as an observer should be sent
to the Division of Management Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: IA, Falls Church, VA
[[Page 75874]]
22041; or via email at: [email protected]; or via fax at:
703-358-2298.
For the latest news and information regarding U.S. preparations for
CoP17, please visit our Web site at http://www.fws.gov/international/CITES/CoP17/index.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information pertaining to
resolutions, decisions, and agenda items, contact: Craig Hoover, Chief,
Division of Management Authority, at 703-358-2162 (phone); 703-358-2298
(fax); [email protected] (email). For information pertaining
to species proposals contact: Rosemarie Gnam, Chief, Division of
Scientific Authority, at 703-358-1708 (phone); 703-358-2276 (fax); or
[email protected] (email). If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal Information Relay Service
(FIRS) at 800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora, hereinafter referred to as CITES or the Convention, is
an international treaty designed to regulate international trade in
certain animal and plant species that are now, or potentially may
become, threatened with extinction. These species are listed in
Appendices to CITES, which are available on the CITES Secretariat's Web
site at http://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php. Currently, 180
countries, including the United States, and one regional economic
integration organization, the European Union, are Parties to CITES. The
Convention calls for regular biennial meetings of the Conference of the
Parties, unless the Conference of the Parties decides otherwise. At
these meetings, the Parties review the implementation of CITES, make
provisions enabling the CITES Secretariat to carry out its functions,
consider amendments to the lists of species in Appendices I and II,
consider reports presented by the Secretariat, and make recommendations
for the improved effectiveness of CITES. Any Party to CITES may propose
amendments to Appendices I and II, resolutions, decisions, and agenda
items for consideration by all the Parties at the meetings.
This is our fourth in a series of Federal Register notices that,
together with an announced public meeting (time and place to be
announced), provide you with an opportunity to participate in the
development of the U.S. submissions to, and negotiating positions for,
the seventeenth regular meeting of the Conference of the Parties to
CITES (CoP17). We published our first CoP17-related Federal Register
notice on June 27, 2014 (79 FR 36550), in which we requested
information and recommendations on species proposals for the United
States to consider submitting for consideration at CoP17. In that
notice, we also described the U.S. approach to preparations for CoP17.
We published our second such Federal Register notice on May 11, 2015
(80 FR 26948), in which we requested information and recommendations on
proposed resolutions, decisions, and agenda items for the United States
to consider submitting for consideration at CoP17, and provided
preliminary information on how to request approved observer status for
non-governmental organizations that wish to attend the meeting. In our
third CoP17-related Federal Register notice, published on August 26,
2015 (80 FR 51830), we requested public comments and information on
species proposals that the United States is considering submitting for
consideration at CoP17. You may obtain additional information on those
Federal Register notices from the following sources: For information on
proposed resolutions, decisions, and agenda items, contact the Division
of Management Authority at the address provided above in the ADDRESSES
section; and for information on species proposals, contact the Division
of Scientific Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg
Pike, MS: IA, Falls Church, VA 22041. Our regulations governing this
public process are found in title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) at Sec. 23.87.
Recommendations for Resolutions, Decisions, and Agenda Items for the
United States To Consider Submitting for CoP17
In our Federal Register notice published on May 11, 2015 (80 FR
26948), we requested information and recommendations on potential
resolutions, decisions, and agenda items for the United States to
submit for consideration at CoP17. We received information and
recommendations from the following organizations: American Federation
of Violin and Bow Makers; American Society of Mammalogists; Animal
Welfare Institute; Campaign Against Canned Hunting; Center for
International Environmental Law; Chamber Music America; Environmental
Investigation Agency; Free Morgan Foundation; Friends of Animals;
Global March for Elephants and Rhinos; International Environmental Law
Project; League of American Orchestras; Maniago Safaris Ltd.; National
Association of Music Merchants; Ornithological Council; Society for the
Preservation of Natural History Collections; Species Survival Network;
Sustainable Fisheries Association, Inc.; Wildlife Conservation Society;
and World Wildlife Fund. We also received comments from one individual.
In addition, we received comments from Global March for Elephants and
Rhinos and Sustainable Fisheries Association, Inc. related to proposals
to amend the CITES Appendices. Both of these comments were outside the
scope of this Federal Register notice.
We considered all of the recommendations of the above individuals
and organizations, as well as the factors described in the U.S.
approach for CoP17 discussed in our June 27, 2014, Federal Register
notice, when compiling a list of resolutions, decisions, and agenda
items that the United States is likely to submit for consideration by
the Parties at CoP17. We also compiled lists of resolutions, decisions,
and agenda items for consideration at CoP17 that the United States
either is currently undecided about submitting, is not considering
submitting at this time, or plans to address in other ways. In
compiling these lists, we also considered potential submissions that we
identified internally. The United States may consider submitting
documents for some of the issues for which it is currently undecided or
not considering submitting at this time, depending on the outcome of
discussions of these issues in the CITES Standing Committee, additional
consultations with range country governments and subject matter
experts, or comments we receive during the public comment period for
this notice.
Please note that, under A, B, and C below, we have listed those
resolutions, decisions, and agenda items that the United States is
likely to submit, currently undecided about submitting, or currently
planning not to submit. We have posted a supplementary document on our
Web site at http://www.fws.gov/international/CITES/CoP17/index.html and
at http://www.regulations.gov, with text describing in more detail each
of these issues and explaining the rationale for the tentative U.S.
position on each issue. Copies of the supplementary document are also
available from the Division of Management Authority at the address in
the ADDRESSES section.
We welcome your comments and information regarding the resolutions,
decisions, and agenda items that the United States is likely to submit,
[[Page 75875]]
currently undecided about submitting, or currently planning not to
submit.
A. What resolutions, decisions, and agenda items is the United States
likely to submit for consideration at CoP17?
Wildlife trafficking: Proposal for a document highlighting U.S.
progress and leadership on efforts to combat wildlife trafficking.
B. On what resolutions, decisions, and agenda items is the United
States still undecided, pending additional information and
consultations?
1. Trade in live elephants: Proposal for a decision at CoP17 to
review trade in live elephants to ensure that such trade is legal and
conducted in compliance with CITES.
2. Trade in elephant ivory: Domestic ivory markets: Recommendation
for the United States to work with key elephant range States and like-
minded CITES Party countries to advocate, support, and propose a
resolution to ban domestic elephant ivory trade, and support other
countries' independent efforts to ban domestic elephant ivory trade;
recommendation for submission of a working document encouraging the
closure of legal domestic elephant ivory markets; recommendation for an
amendment to Resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev. CoP16) or a new resolution
recommending that Parties close their domestic elephant ivory markets;
and three recommendations that the United States advocate for a
complete ban on global elephant ivory trade.
3. Trade in live rhinoceroses: Recommendation that live rhinoceros
not be shipped outside of range countries.
4. Trade in rhinoceros horn: Synthetic products: Recommendation to
submit a discussion document outlining the potential problems raised by
the introduction of synthetic wildlife products, such as synthetic
rhino horn, and examining ways that CITES might address these problems.
5. Trade in pangolins: Proposal for a resolution urging Parties to
adopt and implement legislation and enforcement controls, including
increased cooperation with other Parties, to reduce illegal trade in
pangolins and to encourage the Secretariat and other appropriate bodies
to assist those Parties lacking legislation.
6. Trade in sport-hunted trophies: Proposal for: A draft decision
directing Parties that undertake voluntary wildlife trade policy
reviews examine the probable impacts of lawful sport hunting on the
survivability of the hunted species in the wild and provide the
Secretariat with the results so that these may be shared with the
Parties; a draft decision directing the Animals Committee to form a
working group to examine the probable impacts of lawful sport hunting
on the survivability of the hunted species in the wild and submit its
findings to the Secretariat; and a draft decision directing the
Secretariat to compile information received on this issue on its Web
site, assist interested Parties in examining the probable impacts of
lawful sport hunting on the survivability of the hunted species in the
wild, organize a conference to examine the findings of the Animals
Committee on the probable impacts of lawful sport hunting on the
survivability of the hunted species in the wild, and report at SC69 and
CoP18.
7. Marine species: Interpretation of CITES Article XIV, paragraphs
4 and 5: Proposal for a draft resolution to clarify the ambiguities
that exist in Article XIV, paragraphs 4 and 5, with respect to
implementation of the treaty for marine species.
8. Marine species: CITES National Legislation Project:
Recommendation for a request to the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) to engage with the CITES National Legislation Project as it
pertains to marine species.
9. Marine species: Sharks and rays: Proposal for submission of an
agenda item to ensure that the outcomes of the working groups on sharks
and rays and the deliberations of the Animals Committee and Standing
Committee on sharks and rays are discussed and to ensure a discussion
on capacity-building needs in the issuance of non-detriment findings
for CITES-listed sharks and rays.
10. Marine species: Fish maw trade: Proposal for a decision at
CoP17 to further explore the fish maw (swim bladder) trade to identify
critical intervention points to ensure that this trade, which threatens
two endangered species, can be stopped.
11. Wildlife trafficking: Proposal to submit an agenda item on the
issue of wildlife trafficking and the transport industry to facilitate
reporting to the CoP on U.S. and other initiatives.
12. Traveling with musical instruments: Recommendation that the
United States: Support establishing more efficient and uniform
procedures for issuing documents for international transport of musical
instruments and inspecting and clearing such documents; and work with
officials in other countries to ensure that concepts such as the
musical instrument certificate and personal effects exemption for
musical instruments containing CITES-listed species are adopted by all
CITES Parties.
13. National CITES legislation: Proposal for an amendment to
Resolution Conf. 8.4 (Rev. CoP15), on National laws for implementation
of the Convention, to provide clear guidelines as to the criteria for
inclusion in Categories 1, 2, and 3 under the CITES National
Legislation Project; proposal to ensure that Decisions 16.33-16.38, on
National laws for implementation of the Convention, are updated to
account for changing dates and reference to CoP17; proposal for an
overhaul of the CITES National Legislation Project to ensure that
Parties have adequate CITES legislation and regulatory systems in
place; and proposal for a decision to encourage the flow of dedicated
funds to the Secretariat to carry out its work relative to the Project.
14. CoP Rules of Procedure: Secret ballots: Proposal to amend Rule
25 (Methods of Voting) of the Rules of Procedure of the Conference of
the Parties (CoP) to eliminate voting by secret ballots except with
respect to the election of officers.
15. CoP Rules of Procedure: Credentials and voting procedures for
regional economic integration organizations: Proposal to amend the
Rules of Procedure of the CoP so that they address two issues with
respect to the participation of regional economic integration
organizations at CoPs: Credentials and voting.
16. Annual reporting on seized specimens: Recommendation that the
United States support mandatory annual reporting on illegal CITES
trade, with the penalty for failure to report such trade similar to the
penalty for failure to submit annual report.
17. Validated reference material: The United States is considering
preparing discussion documents on the importance of providing validated
reference material of newly listed species, especially timber species,
so that appropriate labs and inspections authorities can develop
forensic identification techniques.
18. Trade in timber species utilized for hongmu: Recommendation
that the United States prepare a discussion document on the legal and
illegal trade in timber for the production of traditional Chinese
furniture and the potential to address this issue in CITES.
19. Nationally established Appendix-II export quotas:
Recommendation that the United States consider submitting a document to
CoP17 to examine the current implementation, enforcement, and benefits
of the implementation of Resolution Conf. 14.7 (Rev. CoP15), management
of nationally established export quotas.
[[Page 75876]]
20. CITES specimens accompanied by court-ordered CITES documents:
Proposing a revision to CITES Resolution Conf. 12.3 (Rev. CoP16)
recommending that: Exporting Parties not export specimens of CITES-
listed species without evidence of legal origin of specimens of the
species and without evidence of a non-detriment finding; and importing
Parties reject shipments of specimens of CITES species accompanied by
export permits issued under court order without the required CITES
findings.
21. Administrative hosting arrangements: The United States is
currently chairing a working group of the Standing Committee that is
reviewing the administrative hosting arrangements between the United
Nations Environment Programme and the CITES Secretariat and is
considering submitting a document to CoP17 on this subject.
22. Youth participation: The United States is considering
submitting a draft resolution exploring the opportunities and
emphasizing the importance of youth participation in CITES fora.
C. What resolutions, decisions, and agenda items is the United States
not likely to submit for consideration at CoP17, unless we receive
significant additional information?
1. Trade in elephant specimens: Resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev.
CoP16): Proposal for: A comprehensive review of Resolution Conf. 10.10
(Rev. CoP16), on Trade in elephant specimens; a resolution or decision
requiring Parties to report on their progress in implementing
Resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev. CoP16); and an amendment to Resolution
Conf. 10.10 (Rev. CoP16) or a new resolution recommending that Parties
close their domestic elephant ivory markets.
2. Trade in elephant ivory: Decision-making mechanism:
Recommendation that: The United States call for greater transparency
and wider consultation on development of a decision-making mechanism
(DMM) for authorizing ivory trade and request that the background
study, the terms of reference for the study, and related documents be
made available on the CITES Web site for public comment before being
finalized at SC66; the United States, as a member of the DMM Working
Group, call for a suspension of the discussion on the DMM and oppose
any proposals for international trade in elephant ivory or downlisting
of elephant populations; and the United States advocate that Decision
16.55, concerning a decision-making mechanism for a process of trade in
elephant ivory, not be renewed at CoP17.
3. Trade in elephant ivory: National Ivory Action Plans:
Recommendation that the United States call for the publication on the
CITES Web site of the National Ivory Action Plans of the primary
concern countries, and the implementation reports by the primary
concern countries, secondary concern countries, and the importance to
watch countries, along with the feedback by the Secretariat on the
content and implementation of the Plans; recommendation that the United
States call for revision of the National Ivory Action Plans where
appropriate to include meaningful milestones with timeframes for
implementation, and evidence to measure the impact through specific
indicators; recommendation that the United States call for trade
suspensions for Tanzania until they can demonstrate progress in
effectively addressing illegal trade in ivory; recommendation that the
United States call for adoption of a moratorium on domestic ivory trade
in China, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Japan, where domestic ivory markets
are perpetuating illegal trade in ivory or licensed trade in ivory has
facilitated illegal trade and has been used as a laundering mechanism
for the trade in illegal ivory; recommendation that the United States
call for destruction of ivory stockpiles following independent
inventory and audit and DNA analysis for investigations; recommendation
that the United States urge China, Thailand, and Viet Nam to detect,
investigate, and apprehend the criminal networks using Laos as a hub
for trafficking ivory and other wildlife; and recommendation that the
United States call for Japan to be moved higher up on the National
Ivory Action Plans list to ``primary concern'' and for Japan to adopt a
National Ivory Action Plan, including a commitment to implement a
domestic ivory trade ban.
4. Trade in elephant ivory: Stockpiles: Proposal for the United
States to submit a document outlining the rationale for destruction of
elephant ivory stockpiles, summarizing progress on the issue since
CoP16, and encouraging all Parties to destroy their stockpiles.
5. Trade in rhinoceros horn: Recommendation urging the United
States to oppose any proposals to legalize trade in rhinoceros horn,
both domestically and internationally; and a recommendation to ensure
that Parties are held accountable to the reporting requirements adopted
at CoP17 with regard to actions to combat the illegal killing of and
trade in rhinoceros horn.
6. Trade in cheetahs: Proposal for a document ensuring that the
issue of illegal trade in cheetahs is on the agenda for CoP17.
7. Trade in African lions: Lion farming and trade in lion trophies:
Recommendation that the United States submit a document proposing to
end the practice of lion farming in South Africa and a document on the
issue of lion farming for trade in their body parts; and a document
proposing an end to the export and import of lion trophies.
8. Trade in African lions: Protections: Recommendation that the
United States support any proposals for improving protection of African
lions, including their up-listing.
9. Trade in Asian big cats: Recommendation that the United States:
Ensure that the issue of Asia big cats is on the agenda for CoP17,
primarily to call for a number of actions in advance of the CoP related
to the illegal killing and trade in tigers and other Asian big cats;
and consider calling for compliance measures to be enacted against
Parties that fail to fulfill the called-for measures.
10. Trade in bears: Recommendation that the United States support
proposals for improving protection for bears, including adopting
measures to tackle the escalating trade in bear specimens.
11. Great apes: Recommendation that the United States ensure that
the issue of great apes is on the agenda for CoP17.
12. Saiga antelope: Recommendation the United States ensure the
issue of saiga antelope is on the agenda.
13. Trade in sport-hunted trophies: Proposal for the United States
to ban the import of trophies of CITES-listed species.
14. Trade in hornbills and sandalwood: Recommendation that the
United States urge source, transit, and consumer countries to
demonstrate greater investment in proactive intelligence-led
initiatives to target criminal networks and implement demand reduction
strategies for red sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus) and helmeted
hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil).
15. Trade in freshwater turtles and tortoises: Recommendation that
the United States ensure that the issue of trade in tortoises and
freshwater turtles is on the agenda of CoP17.
16. Marine species: Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) codes: Proposal
for a draft resolution recommending that the Parties adopt a list of
new 6-digit, 8-digit, and 10-digit HTS codes related to shark and
cetacean species and commodities; and that the Parties adopt a CITES
description code for `blubber'' to use on CITES permits and in annual
reports.
17. Marine species: Breeding cetaceans: Recommendation that the
[[Page 75877]]
United States support establishing a clear policy regarding the
breeding of rescued, wild cetaceans with their captive-bred
counterparts.
18. Trade in rosewood and ebony: Recommendation that the United
States support: Madagascar in its efforts to combat illegal harvest of
and trade in rosewood (Dalbergia spp.) and ebony (Diospyros spp.); any
proposal to improve the protection of Dalbergia cochinchinensis,
Dalbergia oliveri, and Pterocarpus macrocarpus through proposals that
may arise from regional discussions; and any proposal to strengthen
existing CITES controls for Dalbergia cochinchinensis.
19. Wildlife trafficking: Proposal that the United States encourage
a report from the United Kingdom on the London Conference on the
Illegal Wildlife Trade, and from Botswana on the Kasane Conference on
the Illegal Trade.
20. Traveling with musical instruments: Personal effects exemption:
Recommendation that the United States support a personal effects
exemption for musical instruments containing CITES-listed species and
the implementation of an exemption for musical instruments containing
CITES-listed species transported by cargo under a carnet.
21. Traveling with musical instruments: Commercial travel and de
minimis exemption: Recommendation that the United States support
extending the use of the musical instrument certificate to commercial
travel and advocate for the adoption of a general de minimis exemption
from CITES requirements for instruments containing small amounts of
CITES-listed species.
22. CITES and livelihoods: Recommendation that the United States
ensure that the issue of CITES and livelihoods is on the agenda for
CoP17.
23. Enforcement matters: Establishment of a CITES Enforcement
Working Group: Recommendation that the United States call for a CITES
Enforcement Expert Working Group to be convened on a regular basis.
24. Enforcement matters: Adoption of indicators: Recommendation
that the United States support the adoption of indicators of effective
enforcement and call for Parties to fully implement such indicators.
25. Enforcement matters: tackling illegal trade through social
media channels: Recommendation that the United States call for measures
to be adopted for Parties to tackle illegal trade in CITES species
through social media channels.
26. Enforcement matters: Amendment to Resolution Conf. 11.3 (Rev.
CoP16), on Compliance and enforcement: Recommendation that the United
States: Propose amendments to Resolution Conf. 11.3 (Rev. CoP16) to
establish an enforcement working group to explore greater CITES
emphasis on enforcement efforts; and recommend that Parties prohibit
trade in animals and plants illegally taken, possessed, transported, or
sold, similar to the U.S. Lacey Act.
27. CITES trade data reporting: Proposal for a resolution that
describes in detail the need to accurately describe in CITES annual
reports both the type of specimen being traded and the quantity of
specimens, and that recommends that Parties issue permits and report
trade using two units of measurement.
28. Purpose of Transaction codes on CITES permits: Proposal that
the United States call for the consistent use of CITES Purpose of
Transaction codes so that the same code is used on both import and
export CITES documents.
29. Legal owner information on CITES permits: Proposal that the
United States call for the disclosure of the legal owner of a specimen
on the face of a CITES document.
30. Guidelines for making legal acquisition findings:
Recommendation that the United States submit a document regarding the
establishment of clear guidelines for Parties to use in making their
CITES legal acquisition findings.
31. CITES document validation for scientific research:
Recommendation that the United States propose to revise, suspend, or
revoke the CITES document validation requirement for the movement of
CITES-listed species for scientific research.
32. Primarily commercial purposes: Recommendation that the United
States call for establishing clear criteria and guidelines to
differentiate between ``primarily commercial'' purposes and ``bona fide
scientific research'' purposes when making permit decisions.
33. Bred in captivity: Recommendation that the United States
propose revisions to Resolutions Conf. 5.10 (Rev. CoP15), Conf. 10.16
(Rev.), and Conf. 12.10 (Rev. CoP15) to clarify the provisions of
paragraphs 4 and 5 of CITES Article VII for specimens bred in
captivity.
34. Laundering of wild-caught specimens: Recommendation that the
United States submit the issue of laundering of wild-caught animals as
captive-bred as a separate agenda item at CoP17.
35. Interval between CoPs: Proposal for an agenda item clarifying
that CoPs should be 2 years apart, and that CoP18 should be held no
later than October 2018.
36. Unlisted species: Recommendation that the United States propose
a process to facilitate the identification of unlisted species that may
benefit from listing in the CITES Appendices.
Request for Information and Comments
We invite information and comments concerning any of the proposed
CoP17 resolutions, decisions, and agenda items discussed above. You
must submit your information and comments to us no later than the date
specified in DATES, above, to ensure that we consider them. Comments
and materials received will be posted for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov, and will be available by appointment, from 8 a.m.
to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Division of Management
Authority. Our practice is to post all comments, including names and
addresses of respondents, and to make comments, including names and
home addresses of respondents, available for public review during
regular business hours.
There may be circumstances in which we would withhold from public
review a respondent's name and/or address, as allowable by law. If you
wish for us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state this
prominently at the beginning of your comment, but we cannot guarantee
that we will be able to do so. We will make all comments and materials
submitted by organizations or businesses, and by individuals
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations
or businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.
Observers
Article XI, paragraph 7 of CITES states the following:
Any body or agency technically qualified in protection,
conservation or management of wild fauna and flora, in the following
categories, which has informed the Secretariat of its desire to be
represented at meetings of the Conference by observers, shall be
admitted unless at least one-third of the Parties present object:
(a) international agencies or bodies, either governmental or
non-governmental, and national governmental agencies and bodies; and
(b) national non-governmental agencies or bodies which have been
approved for this purpose by the State in which they are located.
Once admitted, these observers shall have the right to
participate but not to vote.
Persons wishing to be observers representing international non-
governmental organizations (which must have offices in more than one
country) at CoP17 may request approval directly from the CITES
Secretariat.
[[Page 75878]]
Persons wishing to be observers representing U.S. national non-
governmental organizations at CoP17 must receive prior approval from
our Division of Management Authority. Once we grant our approval, a
U.S. national non-governmental organization is eligible to register
with the Secretariat and must do so at least 6 weeks prior to the
opening of CoP17 to participate in CoP17 as an observer. Individuals
who are not affiliated with an organization may not register as
observers. An international non-governmental organization with at least
one office in the United States may register as a U.S. non-governmental
organization if it prefers.
Any organization that submits a request to us for approval as an
observer should include evidence of their technical qualifications in
protection, conservation, or management of wild fauna or flora, for
both the organization and the individual representative(s). The request
should include copies of the organization's charter and any bylaws, and
a list of representatives it intends to send to CoP17. Organizations
seeking approval for the first time should detail their experience in
the protection, conservation, or management of wild fauna or flora, as
well as their purposes for wishing to participate in CoP17 as an
observer. An organization that we have previously approved as an
observer at a meeting of the Conference of the Parties within the past
5 years must submit a request, but does not need to provide as much
detailed information concerning its qualifications as an organization
seeking approval for the first time. These requests should be sent to
the Division of Management Authority at the address provided in
ADDRESSES above, or via email at: [email protected]; or via
fax at: 703-358-2298.
Once we approve an organization as an observer, we will inform them
of the appropriate page on the CITES Web site where they may obtain
instructions for registration with the CITES Secretariat, including a
meeting registration form and travel and hotel information. A list of
organizations approved for observer status at CoP17 will be available
upon request from the Division of Management Authority just prior to
the start of CoP17.
Future Actions
We expect the CITES Secretariat to provide us with a provisional
agenda for CoP17 within the next several months. Once we receive the
provisional agenda, we will publish it in a Federal Register notice and
provide the Secretariat's Web site address. We will also provide the
provisional agenda on our Web site at http://www.fws.gov/international/CITES/CoP17/index.html.
The United States will submit any proposed resolutions, decisions,
and agenda items, as well as any species proposals, for consideration
at CoP17 to the CITES Secretariat 150 days prior to the start of the
meeting (i.e., by April 27, 2016). We will consider all available
information and comments we receive during the comment period for this
notice as we decide which proposed resolutions, decisions, and agenda
items warrant submission by the United States for consideration by the
Parties. With respect to our notice published on August 26, 2015 (80 FR
51830), we are considering all available information and comments we
received during the comment period for that notice as we decide which
species proposals warrant submission by the United States for
consideration by the Parties. Approximately 4 months prior to CoP17, we
will post on our Web site an announcement of the species proposals and
proposed resolutions, decisions, and agenda items submitted by the
United States to the CITES Secretariat for consideration at CoP17.
Through an additional notice and Web site posting in advance of
CoP17, we will inform you about preliminary negotiating positions on
resolutions, decisions, agenda items, and amendments to the Appendices
proposed by other Parties for consideration at CoP17. We will also
publish an announcement of a public meeting tentatively to be held
approximately 2 to 3 months prior to CoP17, to receive public input on
our positions regarding issues on the agenda for CoP17. The procedures
for developing U.S. documents and negotiating positions for a meeting
of the Conference of the Parties to CITES are outlined at 50 CFR 23.87.
As noted at 50 CFR 23.87(c), we may modify or suspend the procedures
outlined there if they would interfere with the timely or appropriate
development of documents for submission to the meeting of the
Conference of the Parties and of U.S. negotiating positions.
Author: The primary author of this notice is Mark Bellis, Division
of Management Authority.
Authority: The authority for this action is the U.S. Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: November 25, 2015.
Robert Dreher,
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-30593 Filed 12-3-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P