U.S. Government Hearing on Coral Reef Species Trade Set for December 6, 1999
The US Fish and Wildlife Service has scheduled a hearing on the trade in coral reefs species for 6 December 1999, from 2-5 PM in Washington DC. Written comments will also be accepted until 10 December, 1999.

The critical information on the meeting purpose and process are summarized below from the official meeting notice appearing today in the Federal Register. The full text can be accessed via the US Gov't Printing Office website http://www.access.gpo.gov/index.html   Go to the "Federal Register" link and then search the register for the date: 11/16/99.

This is a critical opportunity for those supporting a responsible, sustainable and environmentally sound marine ornamentals industry and hobby to ensure that your voice is heard through written or oral submissions.  We encourage you to work with and through MAC, so that your input may contribute to the global multi-stakeholder groundswell transforming the marine ornamentals trade into a force for conservation and sustainable use.

Sincerely,

Paul Holthus, Executive Director
Marine Aquarium Council
Phone: (+1 808) 923-3254  Fax: (+1 808) 923-6023
Email: paul.holthus@aquariumcouncil.org
http://www.aquariumcouncil.org
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[Federal Register: November 16, 1999 (Volume 64, Number
220, Pages 62215-62217]

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR: Fish and Wildlife Service

UNITED STATES CORAL REEF TASK FORCE: Options for the United States To Consider To Promote the Conservation of Coral Reefs; Public Meeting

AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY:  On behalf of the United States Coral Reef Task Force, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a public meeting to discuss the trade in non-food fish coral reef species, the effects of this trade on coral reefs, and measures which the United States should consider to minimize these effects and promote coral reef conservation.  Representatives of other agencies involved in the Trade Subgroup will participate in the meeting to answer questions and receive public comments on potential conservation actions.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on Monday, December 6, 1999 - 2:00 to 5:00 pm.

ADDRESSES: Room 7000 A & B, Dept of Interior, 1849 C St, N.W., Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sheila Einsweiler
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement
ph(703) 358-1949, fax (703) 358-2271
E-mail: Sheila__Einsweiler@fws.gov

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  We request that anyone that wishes to speak at this public meeting contact us using the contact information above so that we can ensure that everyone is given enough time to express their opinions. We request that everyone who speaks at this meeting also give us their comments in writing. If you are unable to attend the meeting, but still wish to comment, you may submit your comments by any one of several methods. You may mail comments to the following address:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of the Assistant
Director for International Affairs, 1849 C Street, Room
3245, Washington, DC 20240.

You may comment via the Internet to r9oma__cites@fws.gov. Please submit Internet comments as an ASCII file, avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. Please also include  ``Attn: Public Meeting on U.S. Coral Reef Task Force'', and your name and return address in your Internet message. If you do not receive a confirmation from the system that we have received your Internet message, contact us directly at the telephone number listed above. Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to the above address. We will consider comments and information received by December 10, 1999.

With this public meeting, we are seeking comment on the relationship between trade and conservation of non-food fish coral reef species, and what actions the United States should consider, internationally and domestically, to reduce harmful effects of human activity and encourage beneficial measures. There are a number of international and domestic activities which could assist in reducing harmful impacts to coral reefs from overharvest, destructive harvest, and trade. These coral reef conservation activities may include:
 

• (1) Working within existing international frameworks such as the Convention on International Trade In Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), and other multilateral, regional, and bilateral forums;
• (2) Raising international awareness among governments, NGOs, industry, scientists, and consumers, and gathering better information regarding impacts of international trade;
• (3) Building capacity in source countries to address over exploitation of resources, implementation of CITES and national controls, and destructive fishing practices;
• (4) Improving law enforcement efforts against illegal coral trade and smuggling into the United States, development of cyanide detection tests for live fish, and committing additional resources to enforcement;
• (5) Raising domestic consumer awareness through educational materials and encouraging alternatives to wild collection, such as sustainable captive-breeding or artificial culture or captive breeding;
• 6) Analyzing and improving data collection and monitoring for imports of coral reef species into the United States;
• (7) And, if necessary, developing new regulatory measures which would create additional authority to restrict commerce and address the role of U.S. consumer demand in causing unsustainable harvest or destructive harvests.

• (a) The scope of species and activities which could be subject to additional regulatory authority;
• (b) International issues, such as destructive fishing practices, unsustainable harvests, and international trade;
• (c) Domestic issues, such as interstate commerce and domestic harvest, including commercial, subsistence, and recreational uses, and applicability to Federal vs. State waters;
• (d) Ways in which such new authority could be used to encourage voluntary measures prior to, or lieu of, the actual imposition of new regulations on harvest and trade; and
• (e) Any other issues pertinent to assessing the need for, and effects of, additional regulatory authorities or non-regulatory measures designed to promote coral reef conservation.