On the ESF studbook keepers day 2017 Victor Loehr gave a presentation about the role of CITES. This news item is a summary of his presentation.
Victor Loehr has been working for the Scientific Authority for CITES in the Netherlands for more than 10 years. Most studbook keepers who attended this lecture turned out to be unaware of the existence of Scientific Auhorities for CITES, so Victor started explaining how each country that has ratified the CITES convention needs to have one, alongwith a Management Authority.
In the Netherlands, the Scientific Authority consists of 5-9 experts and a secretary. The main task of the (European) Scientific Authorities is to advice the Management Authorities (from which they are independent) if a potential import of a CITES-listed species (Appendices I and II) may be harmful to the natural populations. If that is the case, Scientific Authorities will give a negative advice and the import cannot materialise. Moreover, this negative advise is shared among all European countries, so that the species also cannot be imported from the same exporting country to other European countries. European Scientific Authories are collaborating in a Scientific Review Group, and also advise the Managament Authorities if importers of Appendix I species are capable of providing adequare housing and care, and if exports of Appendix I and II species may be harmful to natural populations.
Victor presented several concrete cases to show how the Dutch Scientific Authority prepares its advises.
esf 2007 CITES presentation