[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 2, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12199-12202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04295]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2021-0008; FXIA16710900000-FF09A10000-212]


Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International 
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); Nineteenth 
Regular Meeting: Species Proposals for Consideration and Request for 
Information and Recommendations on Resolutions, Decisions, and Agenda 
Items for Consideration

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: To implement the Convention on International Trade in 
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES or the Convention), 
the Parties to the Convention meet periodically to review what species 
in international trade should be regulated and other aspects of CITES 
implementation. The nineteenth regular meeting of the Conference of the 
Parties (CoP19) is tentatively scheduled to be held in Costa Rica, 
March 3-14, 2022. With this notice we are soliciting recommendations 
for amending Appendices I and II of CITES at CoP19 as well as 
recommendations for resolutions, decisions, and agenda items for 
discussion at CoP19. We invite you to provide us with information and 
recommendations on animal and plant species for which the United States 
should consider submitting proposals to amend Appendices I and II of 
CITES at CoP19. Such proposals may concern the addition of species to 
Appendix I or II, the transfer of species from one Appendix to another, 
or the removal of species from Appendices. We also invite you to 
provide us with information and recommendations on resolutions, 
decisions, and agenda items that the United States might consider 
submitting for discussion at CoP19. Finally, with this notice, we also 
describe the U.S. approach to preparations for CoP19.

DATES: We will consider all information and comments we receive on or 
before May 3, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:

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    (1) Electronically: Using the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov, search for FWS-HQ-IA-2021-0008, which is the 
docket number for this notice.
    (2) U.S. mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-HQ-IA-2021-
0008; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS: PRB (JAO/3W), 
5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
    We will not accept email or faxes. Comments and materials we 
receive, as well as supporting documentation, will be available for 
public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information pertaining to species 
proposals, contact Rosemarie Gnam, Chief, Division of Scientific 
Authority, 703-358-1708 (phone); 703-358-2276 (fax); or 
[email protected] (email). For information pertaining to 
resolutions, decisions, and agenda items, contact Pamela Scruggs, 
Chief, Division of Management Authority, at 703-358-2493 (phone); or 
[email protected] (email). If you use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) 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 aimed at ensuring that international trade in 
listed animal and plant species does not threaten their survival. 
Species are included in the Appendices to CITES, which are available on 
the CITES Secretariat's website at http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/species.php.
    Currently there are 183 Parties to CITES, 182 countries, including 
the United States, and one regional economic integration organization, 
the European Union. The Convention calls for regular meetings of the 
Conference of the Parties, and the Conference of the Parties has 
decided that these meetings should be held every 2-3 years. At the 
meetings, the Parties review the implementation of CITES, make 
decisions regarding the financing and function of the CITES Secretariat 
in Switzerland to enable it to carry out its functions, consider 
amendments to Appendices I and II, consider reports presented by the 
Secretariat, and adopt 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 meeting.
    This is our first in a series of Federal Register notices that, 
together with at least one public meeting (time and location to be 
announced), provide you with an opportunity to provide input into the 
development of the U.S. submissions to, and negotiating positions for, 
CoP19. We intend to announce tentative species proposals and tentative 
documents related to resolutions, decisions, and agenda items that the 
United States is considering submitting for CoP19, and solicit further 
information and comments on them, when we publish our next CoP19-
related Federal Register notice. Our regulations guiding this public 
process can be found in title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) at Sec.  23.87.

Announcement of the Nineteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties

    We hereby notify all interested entities of the convening of CoP19, 
which is tentatively scheduled to be held in Costa Rica on March 3-14, 
2022, at a location to be determined.

U.S. Approach for CoP19

What are the priorities for U.S. submissions to CoP19?

    Priorities for U.S. submissions to CoP19 continue to be consistent 
with the overall objective of U.S. participation in the Convention: To 
maximize the effectiveness of the Convention in the conservation and 
sustainable use of species subject to international trade. With this in 
mind, we plan to consider the following factors in determining what 
issues to submit for inclusion in the agenda at CoP19:
    (1) Does the proposed action address a serious wildlife or plant 
trade issue that the United States is experiencing as a range country 
for species in trade? Since our primary responsibility is the 
conservation of our domestic wildlife resources, we will give native 
species the highest priority. We will place particular emphasis on 
terrestrial and freshwater species with the majority of their range in 
the United States and its territories that are or may be traded in 
significant numbers; marine species that occur in U.S. waters or for 
which the United States is a major trader; and threatened and 
endangered species for which we and other Federal and State agencies 
already have statutory responsibility for protection and recovery. We 
also consider CITES listings as a proactive measure to monitor and 
manage trade in native species to preclude the need for the application 
of stricter measures, such as listing under the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), or inclusion in CITES 
Appendix I.
    (2) Does the proposed action address a serious wildlife or plant 
trade issue for species not native to the United States? As a major 
importer of wildlife, plants, and their products, the United States has 
taken responsibility, by working in close consultation with range 
countries, for addressing cases of potential over-exploitation of 
foreign species in the wild. In some cases, the United States may not 
be a range country or a significant trading country for a species, but 
we will work closely with other countries to conserve species being 
threatened by unsustainable exploitation for international trade. We 
will consider CITES listings for species not native to the United 
States if they will assist in addressing cases of known or potential 
over-exploitation of foreign species in the wild, and in preventing 
illegal, unregulated trade, especially if the United States is a major 
importer. These species will be prioritized based on the extent of 
trade and status of the species, and also the role the species play in 
the ecosystem, with emphasis on those species for which a CITES listing 
would provide the greatest conservation benefits to the species, 
associated species, and their habitats.
    (3) Does the proposed action provide additional conservation 
benefit for a species already covered by another international 
agreement? The United States will consider the inclusion of such a 
species under CITES when it would enhance the conservation of the 
species by ensuring that international trade is effectively regulated 
and not detrimental to the survival of the species.

Request for Information and Recommendations for Amending Appendices I 
or II

    Through this notice, we solicit information and recommendations 
that will help us identify species that the United States could propose 
for addition to, removal from, or reclassification in the CITES 
Appendices, or to identify issues warranting attention by the CITES 
specialists on zoological and botanical nomenclature. This request is 
not limited to species occurring in the United States. We encourage the 
submission of information on any species for possible inclusion in, 
transfer between, or removal from the Appendices, including if these 
species are subject to international trade that is, or may become, 
detrimental to the

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survival of the species. We also encourage you to keep in mind the U.S. 
approach to CoP19, described above in this notice, when considering 
what proposals to amend the Appendices the United States should submit.
    We ask that you submit convincing information describing: (1) The 
status of the species, especially trend information; (2) conservation 
and management programs for the species, including the effectiveness of 
enforcement efforts; and (3) the level of international as well as 
domestic trade in the species, especially trend information. You may 
also provide any other relevant information, and we appreciate 
receiving a list of references. Although we are not requesting complete 
proposals, they are always welcome.
    The term ``species'' is defined in CITES as ``any species, 
subspecies, or geographically separate population thereof.'' Each 
species for which trade is controlled under CITES is included in one of 
three Appendices, either as a separate listing or incorporated within 
the listing of a higher taxon. The basic standards for inclusion of 
species in the Appendices are contained in Article II of CITES (text of 
the Convention is on the CITES Secretariat's website at http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/text.php). Appendix I includes species 
threatened with extinction that are or may be affected by trade. 
Appendix II includes species that, although not necessarily now 
threatened with extinction, may become so unless trade in them is 
strictly controlled. Appendix II also includes species that must be 
subject to regulation in order that trade in other CITES-listed species 
may be brought under effective control. Such ``look alike'' inclusions 
usually are necessary because of the difficulty inspectors have at 
ports of entry or exit in distinguishing one species from other 
species. Because Appendix III includes species that have been included 
in the Appendix unilaterally by a Party, we are not seeking input on 
possible U.S. Appendix-III listings with this notice, and we will not 
consider or respond to comments received concerning Appendix-III 
listings.
    CITES specifies that international trade in any readily 
recognizable parts or derivatives of animals included in Appendices I 
or II, or plants included in Appendix I, is subject to the same 
conditions that apply to trade in the whole organisms. With certain 
standard exclusions formally approved by the Parties, the same applies 
to the readily recognizable parts and derivatives of most plant species 
included in Appendix II. Parts and derivatives often not included 
(i.e., not regulated) for Appendix-II plants are: seeds, spores, pollen 
(including pollinia), and seedlings or tissue cultures obtained in 
vitro and transported in sterile containers. You may refer to the CITES 
Appendices on the Secretariat's website at http://www.cites.org/eng/app/index.php for further exceptions and limitations.
    In 1994, the CITES Parties adopted criteria for inclusion of 
species in Appendices I and II (in Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP17) 
https://cites.org/sites/default/files/document/E-Res-09-24-R17.pdf). 
These criteria apply to all proposals to amend the CITES Appendices and 
are available from the CITES Secretariat's website at http://www.cites.org/eng/res/index.php or upon request from the Division of 
Scientific Authority at the address provided above in ADDRESSES. 
Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP17) also provides a format for proposals 
to amend the Appendices. This information is also available upon 
request from the Division of Scientific Authority or via mail (at the 
address provided above in ADDRESSES).

What information should be submitted?

    In any recommendations you submit for possible proposals to amend 
the Appendices, please include as much of the following information as 
possible in your submission:
    (1) Scientific name and common name;
    (2) Population size estimates (including references if available);
    (3) Population trend information;
    (4) Threats to the species (other than trade);
    (5) The level or trend of international trade (as specific as 
possible, but without a request for new searches of our records);
    (6) The level or trend in total take from the wild (as specific as 
reasonable); and
    (7) A short summary statement clearly presenting the rationale for 
inclusion in, or removal or transfer from, one of the Appendices, 
including which of the criteria in Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP17) 
are met.
    If you wish to submit more complete proposals for us to consider, 
please consult Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP17) (https://cites.org/sites/default/files/document/E-Res-09-24-R17.pdf) for the format for 
proposals and a detailed explanation of each of the categories. 
Proposals to transfer a species from Appendix I to Appendix II, or to 
remove a species from Appendix II, must also be in accordance with the 
precautionary measures described in Annex 4 of Resolution Conf. 9.24 
(Rev. CoP17).

What will we do with information we receive?

    The information that you submit will help us decide if we should 
submit, or co-sponsor with one or more other Parties, a proposal to 
amend the CITES Appendices. However, there may be species that qualify 
for inclusion in the CITES Appendices for which we decide not to submit 
a proposal to CoP19. Our decision will be based on a number of factors, 
including the priorities we outlined above in the U.S. approach to 
CoP19. We will consult range countries for foreign species, and for 
species whose range the United States shares with other countries.
    One important function of the CITES Scientific Authority of each 
Party country is monitoring the international trade in plant and animal 
species, and ongoing scientific assessments of the impact of that trade 
on species. For native U.S. species included in Appendices I and II, we 
monitor trade export permits authorized so that we can prevent over-
utilization and restrict exports if necessary. We also work closely 
with the States to ensure that species are appropriately listed in the 
CITES Appendices. For these reasons, we actively seek information about 
U.S. and foreign species subject to international trade.

Request for Information and Recommendations on Resolutions, Decisions, 
and Agenda Items

    Although we have not yet received formal notice of the provisional 
agenda for CoP19, we invite your input on possible agenda items that 
the United States could recommend for inclusion, or on possible 
resolutions and decisions of the Conference of the Parties that the 
United States could submit for consideration. Copies of the agenda and 
the results of the last meeting of the Conference of the Parties 
(CoP18), as well as copies of all Resolutions and Decisions of the 
Conference of the Parties currently in effect, are available on the 
CITES Secretariat's website (http://www.cites.org/) or from the 
Division of Management Authority at the address provided above in 
ADDRESSES.

Future Actions

    As stated above, CoP19 is tentatively scheduled to be held in Costa 
Rica, in 2022. The United States must submit all proposals to amend 
Appendix I or II, and draft resolutions, decisions, or agenda items for 
discussion at CoP19, to the CITES Secretariat 150 days prior to

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the start of the meeting (tentatively October 4, 2021). In order to 
meet this deadline and to prepare for CoP19, we plan to keep the public 
informed about the CoP through a series of additional Federal Register 
notices and website postings in advance of CoP19. We will announce the 
tentative species proposals and proposed resolutions, decisions, and 
agenda items that the United States is considering submitting for CoP19 
and solicit further information and comments on them. We will post on 
our website an announcement of the species proposals, draft 
resolutions, draft decisions, and agenda items submitted by the United 
States to the CITES Secretariat for consideration at CoP19. Finally, we 
will inform you about preliminary negotiating positions on resolutions, 
decisions, and amendments to the Appendices proposed by other Parties 
for consideration at CoP19, and about how to obtain observer status 
from us. We will also publish an announcement of a public meeting 
tentatively to be held approximately 4 months prior to CoP19, which 
will provide an opportunity to receive public input on our positions 
regarding CoP19 issues. The procedures for developing U.S. documents 
and negotiating positions for a meeting of the Conference of the 
Parties to CITES are outlined in 50 CFR 23.87. As noted, 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 CoP and of U.S. negotiating positions.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, please be aware 
that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available. If you submit a hardcopy 
comment that includes personal identifying information, you may request 
at the top of your document that we withhold this information from 
public review; however, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do 
so.

Author

    The primary authors of this notice are Thomas Leuteritz, Division 
of Scientific Authority, and Anne St. John, Division of Management 
Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Martha Williams,
Senior Advisor to the Secretary, Exercising the Delegated Authority of 
the Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-04295 Filed 3-1-21; 8:45 am]
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