I was trawling some blogs and sites and this one brought up something I have thought about for some time. Is CITES and how it is administered really conserving species, or is it actually facilitating illegal trafficking and destruction of plants by not facilitatiing (hindering) the propagation of species.
http://www.c-we.com/cyp.haven/citesblp.htm
Having widely travelled in various countries, I have seen plants trafficked over borders and CITES able to do nothing about it as local governments do not empower them to do so, or local officials are involved.
I see trafficked plants all the time at markets near my home and the next week you see those plants on Ebay, sometimes offered with CITES certs and an usually at high prices.
In addition, we have species ruled as not elligable for export, yet it is readily propagated in flasks world wide. Why, because a government department deems it was never legally exported?
We can not stop internal trafficking, but why prevent the trade in plants that are propagated? Isnt that encouraging smuggling?
Brett
http://www.c-we.com/cyp.haven/citesblp.htm
Having widely travelled in various countries, I have seen plants trafficked over borders and CITES able to do nothing about it as local governments do not empower them to do so, or local officials are involved.
I see trafficked plants all the time at markets near my home and the next week you see those plants on Ebay, sometimes offered with CITES certs and an usually at high prices.
In addition, we have species ruled as not elligable for export, yet it is readily propagated in flasks world wide. Why, because a government department deems it was never legally exported?
We can not stop internal trafficking, but why prevent the trade in plants that are propagated? Isnt that encouraging smuggling?
Brett