Convention Warns Of Ban On Exports Of Solomon Islands Dolphins

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), one of the largest conservation agreements in existence, has asked the Solomon Islands to provide more data about the bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in its waters or face a possible ban on all exports of these dolphins in the future.

The CITES Review of Significant Trade procedure was designed to identify species that may be subject to unsustainable levels of international trade and, at the latest meeting of the CITES Animal Committee held in Geneva in March, the Solomon Island’s management authority was told that the Solomon Islands dolphin would continue to be listed as a species of ‘possible concern’ until information concerning the numbers of this species, how often they return to the waters around the Solomon Islands and proof that captures and export of the dolphins was not having any effect on the survival of the population is handed over to CITES.

The Islands have 90 days to provide this data (and to immediately and officially agree to an annual export of no more than 10 animals) otherwise the Solomon Islands dolphin will remain on the Convention’s list of animals under review, and a future total ban on its export could follow.
 
Vanessa Tossenberger, who represented WDCS at the meeting in Geneva said; “ This was a very important decision made by the CITES  Animal Committee, we need to guarantee the survival of this population before any export permit release, and for that more data is needed.”