SUSTAINABLE TRADE: EXPLORING RELIABLE TRACEABILITY SYSTEMS FOR MANAGING TRADE OF PYTHON SKINS A. Participatory and Inclusive B. Transparent, Credible and Practical C. Acknowledge • “A review of the trade in Southeast Asian Python Skins” (Kasterine, Arbeid, Caillabet & Natusch) • “Improving International Systems for Trade in Reptile Skins based on Sustainable Use” (Webb, Manolis & Jenkins) • GOAL: CITES LISTED SPECIES IN TRADE ARE LEGALLY ACQUIRED AND NOT DETRIMENTAL TO THE SURVIVAL OF A SPECIES.
Snake skin fashion in Europe putting pythons at risk New Delhi, Feb 24, 2013 (PTI) The famed pythons of southeast Asia are vanishing fast in view of the growing demand for their skin in the thriving fashion industry of Europe. According to a study, population of these large bodied, non-venomous and strikingly coloured pythons is dwindling fast due to its trafficking for the European fashion industry."South-East Asian pythons are heavily exploited for skins, food and traditional Chinese medicines, with nearly half a million python skins alone exported annually ...around 96 per cent of the value of the trade is captured by the European fashion industry," says a technical paper prepared by International Trade Centre and TRAFFIC. The paper titled "Trade in Southeast Asian Python Skins", says that illegal trade in python skins is occurring due to poor regulation or a lack of transparency throughout the trade chain."Demand in high-end markets (i.e. the EU) is for raw skins as European tanners can process to specific high quality requirements of the European fashion industry," it says. According to the study, there is strong financial incentive for illegal trade in python skins. Hunters capture around 0.5 per cent of the final value of a high-end python skin handbag."The skin is sold by the collector to slaughterhouses for USD 10 per metre. Prices for finished leather handbags can reach USD 10,000, a product based on one 3 metre skin. The demand is highest for skins measuring 3 to 4 metres," says the paper. The study recommends the fashion industry to encourage establishing "a traceability system complementing the existing CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) permitting system to allow identification of skins along the length of the supply chain and assure the skins legal provenance and sustainable sourcing." Nearly half a million python skins are reportedly exported from South-East Asia annually. Indonesia and Malaysia are the main source of pythons for the skin trade, most of which come from the wild.The European Union currently has a ban in place on skins sourced from Malaysia. The Swiss Parliament voted in early 2012 to ban imports of python skins from Indonesia on the grounds of perceived cruelty during slaughter.
OBJECTIVES OF THE SCOPING STUDY A. Improve Traceability • Tagging or marking options (matrix ranking of type, design & cost) • Institutional frameworks and compliance standards • Indonesian sticker (crust) & export inspection seal
Indonesia ID Sticker CITES Export Inspection
Each alligator harvested must have a CITES tag
B) Compliment CITES Permitting Systems • Shipment declarations and inspections • Permit clearinghouse reviews • Shipping tags • Common Carrier engagement
C) Improve Conservation and Sustainable Use Framework • Protected areas and management units • Provincial quotas and harvest limitations • IUCN Boa & Python Specialists Group • Yellow Anaconda Model
D) Enhance Compliance and Enforcement • Designated ports • Specialized Training and ID manual • Regional enforcement coordination (ASEANWEN)
E) Improve Capacity Building • Research and management (study priorities & BMP’s) • Enforcement and compliance (interdict illegal trade & validate legal trade) • Annual reports and trade monitoring (IACTS/WCMC model)
F) Encourage Stakeholder Engagement • Supply chain participants (Harvesters, landowners, breeders, etc.) • Traders and tanners • Manufacturers and Luxury Brands
G) Recommend Equitable Cost and Benefit Sharing • Supply side (illegal trade impacts & processing costs) • Value-added (crust tanning) • Dedicated funding
H) Determine applicability to others reptiles in trade • Snakes • Lizards • Turtles • By-products (meat, gallbladders, etc.) Timeline: March to August, 2013
KEY ISSUES A . Similarities and Differences with Crocodilian Trade Models • Volume and value • Traceability potential • Tannery bottleneck • World trade incrementally restored • Independently monitored (IACTS/WCMC) • Direct engagement with IUCN CSG • Tannery bottleneck (4x larger) • Female size larger than male • Nesting and population monitoring challenges • Dedicated funding (Louisiana alligator example) B. Practicality of tagging, institutional frameworks and compliance initiatives C. Retagging and marking options (two tier systems)
Indonesia ID Sticker CITES Export Inspection
KEY ISSUES (continued) D. Socio-economic considerations including cost, implementation and oversight requirements E. Rural communities and livelihood benefits F. Inventories and stockpiling G. Captive breeding implications and production systems assessments H. Illegal trade, national & regional enforcement initiatives, violations consequences and judicial outreach I. Trade monitoring and analysis J. Animal Welfare and Humane Killing Guidelines K. Dedicated funding and Matching Fund Startup
WORLD TRADE IN CROCODILIAN SKINS 2006-2008 Prepared as part of the International Alligator and Crocodile Trade Study by John Caldwell United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre July 2010
Table 2. Reported global exports of crocodilian skins from the main taxa, 2001-2010 Species 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Alligator 343,116 237,840 341,734 368,409 356,393 421,220 262,133 230,464 297,187 369,731 mississippiensis Crocodylus 100 630 830 227 204 120 404 1,371 1,460 200 acutus Crocodylus 0 2 0 0 65 0 0 0 0 0 johnsoni Crocodylus 2,430 1,591 997 549 855 158 11 724 485 0 moreletii Crocodylus 150,757 159,970 148,553 140,497 151,491 166,307 161,185 168,764 149,082 161,840 niloticus Crocodylus 30,634 30,749 27,308 39,796 32,002 38,645 28,663 27,543 26,095 25,055 novaeguineae Crocodylus 28,223 24,278 26,564 30,728 37,441 34,152 45,215 53,918 47,575 53,470 porosus Crocodylus 4,422 3,580 10,982 20,930 31,517 47,972 54,331 63,471 34,373 33,094 siamensis Subtotal of 559,682 458,640 556,968 601,136 578,451 708,574 551,942 546,255 556,257 643,390 ‘classic’ skins Caiman crocodilus *25,510 22,709 34,636 70,722 65,078 69,574 44,894 36,989 43,638 24,643 crocodilus Caiman 710,113 552,077 572,059 621,691 603,223 972,941 670,828 533,549 408,754 651,121 crocodilus fuscus Caiman 88 90 165 215 2,752 1,669 1,125 809 394 1,933 latirostris Caiman yacare 32,128 78,811 60,288 41,882 53,241 52,998 65,452 61,297 47,208 24,546 Subtotal of 767,839 653,687 667,148 734,510 724,924 1,097,182 782,299 632,644 499,994 702,243 caiman skins Grand total 1,327,521 1,112,327 1,224,116 1,335,646 1,303,375 1,805,756 1,334,241 1,178,899 1,056,251 1,345,633
APPROACHES A. Sustainable Trade Roundtable input B. Follow up surveys and request for comment C. Stakeholder Workshops (Regional) D. Industry Engagement (IWG-Reptiles, Trade Associations, Tanners, etc.) E. Enforcement Strategy (National & Regional) F. Conservation Forum (IUCN B&P Specialists Group) G. Animals and Standing Committee Recommendation 2014-2015 H. CoP17, 2016
Ways Forward A. Legal acquisition and verification B. Interdict illegal trade (Specialized Enforcement and Wildlife Alert System) C. Harvest and export quotas • Indonesia • Malaysia • Others D. Inventories and stockpiles • Tannery bottleneck • EU, Singapore & US • Luxury brand initiatives
Ways Forward (continued) E. Interim tagging, retagging and shipment declarations • Specialized officers • ID manuals & forensic tools • Illegal trade consequences • Legal trade documentation • Licensing, reporting & inspections F. Trade monitoring and analysis (GRTS) • IACTS/WCMC template • CITES Snake Trade Working Group • IUCN Boa & Python Specialists Group • Adaptive management (origin, size, sex, etc.)
Ways Forward (continued) G. Regional and/or Industry sourcing guidelines and certification • Live trade collaboration • High value species assessments H. Funding options • Matching grants • Dedicated funding sources
Conclusion • Crocodilian models • Conservation Education (Marsh to Market Story) • Consensus • Commitment
Products from snakes
SUSTAINABLE TRADE WITH BENEFITS TO: COMMERCE CONSERVATION COMMUNITIES
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