ProTECT Act of 2018

To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit the taking for a trophy of any endangered or threatened species of fish or wildlife in the United States and the importation of endangered and threatened species trophies into the United States, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Prohibiting Threatened and Endangered Creature Trophies Act of 2018 ProTECT Act of 2018 2. Findings The Congress finds the following: (1) Trophy hunting of imperiled species undermines efforts to conserve wildlife populations because trophy hunters routinely target the biggest, strongest males, and removing those individuals from the population can decrease genetic variation, decrease reproduction, alter social structures, increase infanticide, and cause unnatural evolutionary impacts. (2) When trophy hunting of imperiled species is sanctioned, poaching activity increases, further threatening the survival of wildlife populations. (3) Legal trade in wildlife parts and products can provide cover for markets for illegal trade in wildlife products, which is worth up to $20,000,000,000 annually and run by professional criminal networks linked to other transnational organized criminal activities, including trafficking in narcotics, weapons, and humans. (4) While the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1531 3. Prohibitions regarding taking and importing of endangered species and threatened species trophies (a) Prohibition of taking or importing Section 9 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1538 (h) Trophies It is unlawful for any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States— (1) to take for a trophy within the United States or the territorial sea of the United States any species of fish or wildlife listed under section 4 as a threatened species; or (2) to import into the United States any trophy of any species of fish or wildlife listed under section 4 as a threatened species. . (b) Prohibition of permits Section 10(a) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1539(a) (1) in paragraph (1), by striking The Secretary may permit Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the Secretary may permit (2) by adding at the end the following: (3) The Secretary may not permit— (A) taking for a trophy any species of fish or wildlife listed under section 4; or (B) importing into the United States any trophy of any species of fish or wildlife listed under section 4, notwithstanding section 9(b). . (c) Antiques Section 10(h)(1) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1539(h)(1) Sections 4(d), 9(a), and 9(c) do not apply Sections 4(d), 9(a), 9(c), and 9(h)(2) do not apply (d) Definition Section 3 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 ( 16 U.S.C. 1532 (1) by redesignating paragraph (21) as paragraph (22); and (2) by inserting after paragraph (20) the following: (21) The term trophy (A) is raw, processed, or manufactured; and (B) was obtained under a hunting license or other authorization issued by any State, foreign government, or private landowner. .

Summary: Prohibiting Threatened and Endangered Creature Trophies Act of 2018 or the ProTECT Act of 2018 This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit taking threatened species within the United States or U.S. territorial seas as trophies or importing such trophies. A trophy is a dead animal, or part of the animal, that was obtained under an authorization issued by a state, foreign government, or private landowner.