IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 220 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the contributions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species 

of Wild Fauna and Flora. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 17, 2013 

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Mr. LEWIS, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. FARR, 

Ms. NORTON, Mr. RUSH, Mr. ELLISON, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. GRIJALVA, 

Mr. BLUMENAUER, and Ms. BORDALLO) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the contributions of the Convention on International 

Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 

Whereas the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (the Convention) 

was concluded on March 3, 1973, with the United States 

as an original signatory nation, and entered into force on 

July 1, 1975; 

Whereas 178 nations are now party to the Convention; 

Whereas the Convention aims to ensure that international 

trade in wild plants and animals does not threaten their 

survival; 

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•HRES 220 IH 

Whereas the Convention both recognizes and provides the 

basis for international cooperation in the control of international trade to not threaten species’ survival; 

Whereas the international wildlife trade is estimated to be 

worth billions of dollars per year and to involve hundreds 

of millions of plants and animals and derived products 

such as food products, leather and fur, ornamentals, medicinal, and timber; 

Whereas high levels of exploitation of and trade in wild animals and plants, together with other factors such as 

habitat loss, are capable of bringing some species close to 

extinction; 

Whereas parties to the Convention have an international obligation and responsibility to protect endangered animals 

and plants worldwide; 

Whereas it is widely accepted that adherence to protective 

measures adopted by the parties to the Convention has 

benefitted the conservation of animals and plants; 

Whereas nearly 5,000 species of animals and 29,000 species 

of plants are protected by the Convention against overexploitation through international trade; 

Whereas the species covered by the Convention are listed in 

3 appendices, according to the degree of protection they 

need; 

Whereas the parties of the Convention meet every 2 to 3 

years at the Conference of the Parties to review the status of species in danger of extinction and to establish 

trade restrictions with respect to endangered species; 

Whereas the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties 

was held in March 2013; 

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Whereas between 2002 and 2012, more than 10,940 African 

elephants were illegally killed for their ivory, an increase 

of 4,374 compared to the analysis submitted to the 15th 

meeting of the Conference of the Parties held in 2010; 

Whereas poaching still continues with 2011 having the highest levels of poaching since comprehensive records started 

in 2002; 

Whereas as sea ice declines, polar bears will not be able to 

adapt to a terrestrial-based life resulting in increased 

mortality, reduced reproduction, increased human-bear 

conflicts, and overall drastic decline of populations; 

Whereas polar bears are still being hunted for sport trophies 

despite habitat loss and population declines; 

Whereas a proposal to move the polar bear from appendix II 

to appendix I was rejected at the 16th meeting of the 

Conference of the Parties; 

Whereas the scalloped hammerhead, great hammerhead, 

smooth hammerhead, porbeagle, and whitetip sharks have 

been severely depleted with declines as high as 99 percent 

in some areas as a result of the high demand for their 

fins or meat; 

Whereas proposals to include these 5 sharks on appendix II 

were accepted at the 16th meeting of the Conference of 

the Parties; and 

Whereas overfishing, both legal and illegal, increased consumer demand, and inadequate enforcement of infractions have led to historically low populations of northern 

and Atlantic bluefin tuna: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

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1 (1) recognizes the important contributions that 

2 the Convention on International Trade in Endan3 gered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has made in 

4 regulating international trade in endangered species 

5 and protecting endangered species worldwide; 

6 (2) recognizes the increasing importance of the 

7 Convention in addressing effects of trade on species, 

8 while taking into account multiple and compounding 

9 threats on species and ecosystems such as over-ex10 ploitation, habitat loss, invasive species, disease, and 

11 the effects of climate change; 

12 (3) applauds the Convention’s recent leadership 

13 in reaffirming strong protections for the African ele14 phant, five sharks, and other endangered species; 

15 (4) urges renewed, expanded, and accelerated 

16 commitments to the Convention by all parties to en17 sure and enhance the Convention’s contribution to 

18 species conservation through appropriate controls of 

19 international wildlife trade; 

20 (5) urges the United States delegation to the 

21 Convention to utilize international cooperation to en22 courage other parties to the Convention to collabo23 rate effectively to curb excessive exploitation of spe24 cies for international trade; and 

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1 (6) urges the Convention to adopt stronger pro2 tections for the polar bear, bluefin tuna, and other 

3 endangered species at the 17th meeting of the Con4 ference of the Parties in South Africa in 2016. 

Æ 

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