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CITES
The first meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, better known by the acronym CITES, was held in Washington, D.C., in 1973. Signed by 21 countries, it took effect in 1975. Today, over 169 nations are party to the convention, which promotes conservation by prohibiting or regulating international trade of plants and animals deemed to be threatened or likely to be threatened by commercial exploitation.
Trade in listed species is controlled by means of a licensing system overseen by the CITES Secretariat, based in Lausanne, Switerland. Responsibility for enforcement of the treaty rests with each signatory country. The U.S. agency with jurisdiction over CITES is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The CITES list of protected species is updated every two years when all member states meet. The list consists of three appendices, or categories of protection:
- Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction by trade. Trade in wild plants listed in this appendix is essentially prohibited, except for educational and scientific purposes. Even in these instances, two appropriate permits are required, and they are issued only in exceptional circumstances. Nurseries are encouraged to propagate Appendix I plants to reduce the pressure on wild populations.
- Appendix II species are not presently threatened with extinction but are likely to be so in the future unless their trade is regulated. These plants may be traded commercially with appropriate permits provided that this trade is determined not to be detrimental to the species' survival. Propagated plants may be traded with a certificate of artificial propagation. Appendix II includes the majority of CITES-listed plants, such as almost all cacti and orchids, snowdrops (Galanthus species), winter daffodils (Sternbergia species), cyclamens (Cyclamen species), Venus's flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), and ginseng (Panax quinquefolius).
- Appendix III includes any species that a signatory to the convention deems is in need of regulation in areas under its jurisdiction.