[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 158 (Friday, August 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43742-43743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-21707]


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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 Specimens of 
Eunectes Notaeus From Argentina

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Information No. 27.

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SUMMARY: This Notice of Information (NOI) is an update from the 
prohibitions identified in NOI 13. Specifically, this NOI removes the 
prohibition on trade in specimens of Eunectes notaeus from Argentina 
identified in NOI 13, published on April 6, 1987 (52 FR 10955).

DATES: This notice is effective on August 15, 1997 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, 
Chief, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Law Enforcement, 
telephone (703) 358-1949, for enforcement actions.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 7, 1986, the CITES Secretariat issued 
Notification to the Parties No. 384, which recommended that all Parties 
assist Argentina in the implementation of Argentina Resolution No. 24/
86, which prohibited the export of live specimens, as well as parts and 
derivatives of Boa constrictor occidentalis, Eunectes notaeus and Rhea 
americana. Argentina Resolution No. 24/86 contained a provision for the 
exportation of parts and derivatives of these species provided that 
such parts and derivatives were registered with the CITES Management 
Authority of Argentina and that exportation was

[[Page 43743]]

completed within a period of 180 days from the date of publication of 
Resolution No. 24/86, which was February 23, 1986. For various reasons, 
the stockpiles of Eunectes notaeus skins were not exported within the 
deadline imposed by Resolution No. 24/86. Recognizing this fact, the 
CITES Management Authority of Argentina consulted with the CITES 
Animals Committee to determine how to resolve the situation in order to 
allow the exportation of these stockpiles. The CITES Animals Committee 
recommended that the CITES Management Authority of Argentina should 
make an inventory of all legal stocks of Eunectes notaeus specimens. 
The CITES Management Authority of Argentina announced that it has 
completed this inventory and registration of Eunectes notaeus specimens 
through the issuance of Resolution No. 333/96, and in so doing, has 
authorized the exportation of these specimens. On June 2, 1997, the 
CITES Secretariat issued Notification to the Parties No. 977, which 
recommended to the Parties that the prohibition of trade with Argentina 
on specimens of Eunectes notaeus be lifted.
    The subject of this notice is as follows:
    A. Subject: Argentina: ban on imports of specimens of Eunectes 
notaeus from Argentina.
    Source of Foreign Law Information: Argentina Resolution No. 333/96.
    Action by the Fish and Wildlife Service: Since the publication of 
Notice of Information No. 13 (52 FR 10955), the Government of Argentina 
has issued Resolution No. 333/96, to effectively implement the 
recommendations of the CITES Animals Committee regarding the inventory 
and registration of all legal stocks of specimens of Eunectes notaeus.
    The Service is satisfied that Argentina has initiated the action 
necessary to sufficiently implement the recommendations of the CITES 
Animals Committee. Therefore, shipments of specimens of Eunectes 
notaeus of Argentine origin may now be imported into the United States 
provided that such shipments are accompanied by valid CITES reexport 
certificates from the country of reexport and a copy of the CITES 
export permit issued by the Management Authority of Argentina 
indicating that the specimens of Eunectes notaeus were legally exported 
from Argentina in accordance with Resolution No. 333/96.

    Dated: August 6, 1997.
Donald Barry,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 97-21707 Filed 8-14-97; 8:45 am]
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