Anyone have any news out of Washington or other on this?

Conservation Force and SCI are continuing to pursue all available avenues to change the rulings. In my evaluation, it appears more likely that success may be achieved in Zimbabwe, but the road is much tougher in Tanzania. I filed an affidavit with the SCI lawsuit and also receive daily updates from John Jackson of Conservation Force.

I can assure you and all concerned that anything positive will be reported promptly, including here on AR.

Just the way our fine agencies work.
In my own opinion - maybe next year.
After all, it is an election year so not very many reps will stick their noses into a noose ...

Just saying...

http://www.huntingreport.com/w...te.cfm?articleid=672


Decisions Imminent on Elephant Import Suspensions

(posted July 17, 2014)

Decisions by US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) on those elephant import suspensions for Zimbabwe and Tanzania are imminent, according to John J. Jackson, III, of Conservation Force. A decision to rescind the suspension for Zimbabwe may be announced in days.

Hunting Report subscribers know we have been following the developments since the USFWS' April 4 announcement suspending the importation of sport-hunted elephant trophies from Zimbabwe and Tanzania for 2014 (see our April 7 Email Extra Bulletin). Since that time, the hunting community as a whole has made commendable efforts to address the issue, leading to the US House of Representatives’ Sub-Committee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs to hold a congressional hearing on the matter this past June.

Jackson gives a detailed report on the efforts to rescind the suspensions in the upcoming August issue of Conservation Force Bulletin, but hunters with affected safaris will want to know what’s happening now. The most promising news, so far, regards Zimbabwe. Here’s what Jackson says:

“A decision on Zimbabwe is imminent. USFWS confirmed that they are reviewing the 100-plus-page document comment filed by Conservation Force and that they expect to make a 'final' determination on the interim suspension mid-July.”

The above-mentioned document, of course, contains a depth of information, statistics and accountings that Jackson personally collected showing the direct benefits to elephant conservation and anti-poaching provided by safari operators. That information is what was necessary to address the concerns cited by US Fish & Wildlife in the suspension directly and actually affect a policy change. Hunting Report readers will recall our earlier bulletin requesting aid acquiring this information.

Another influential accomplishment is an up-to-date National Elephant Action Plan that Conservation Force and Shikar Safaris is funding for Zimbabwe. Zimbabwean officials just recently informed USFWS of this development. In addition to a series of elephant surveys scheduled in the following months, this national action plan has removed a major impediment to lifting the suspension, says Jackson.

Thanks to coordination with authorities in Zimbabwe and the IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group a number of mistakes on USFWS’ part also have been aired and corrected. Those include incorrect numbers and misinformation on those elephants poisoned in Hwange National Park (100 animals, not 300 as reported; imprisonment and 16-year sentences for the poachers who were arrested more than a year before the suspension) and a misinterpretation on the Service’s part of population estimates reported by the Specialist Group. These corrections also weigh heavily in the reversal of the suspension.

Jackson says, “I do expect the USFWS to make a positive enhancement finding shortly, but, of course, I am sticking my neck out.”

Tanzania, however, is a different story. The important work that Jackson has done there involves having hunters who took elephant this year apply for permits to import those trophies then dissect the refusal letters and find the information that addresses the reasons for the refusals. In this way, he hopes to overcome each objection and clear the way for importations. Here is an excerpt from the August 2014 World Conservation Force Bulletin:

“Tanzania presents a different picture because the Tanzania elephant remains on Appendix I of CITES and because of the admitted poaching and drastic decline of elephant. On the other hand, Tanzania is sparing no effort to contend with the unforeseeable illegal ivory demand driving poaching and trafficking . . . [A] decision on the administrative appeals of the permits that have been denied had been imminent, but we received too many signals that the decision was going to be negative. Conservation Force asked for an extension of time to file an expert report on a pivotal management issue and additional quantification of the benefits arising from the hunting operators in the elephant areas.”

Conservation Force was granted that extension and will be submitting a report by elephant expert Rowan Martin on the key issue of the sustainability of authorizing imports when a population has been and may still be in decline.

In the meantime, Jackson continues to collect information. “If the pending appeals are denied, we have a great deal of additional information to submit with the final appeal and oral argument before the USFWS director,” he says.

Other factors that help address USFWS’ concerns include new population surveys being conducted this year and Tanzania’s willingness to accept assistance in addressing the poaching problem. Jackson also worked with authorities to reduce the hunting quota to a level USFWS would find acceptable and would account for in its final decision.

We can only hope that these efforts by Jackson and the Conservation Force network of supporting hunting operators and scientists will answer all of USFWS’ objections on elephant hunting in Tanzania. You can read Jackson’s entire report in the upcoming August issue of World Conservation Force Bulletin, delivered with your Hunting Report Newsletter. As soon as USFWS issues a decision, we will alert you in another Email Extra bulletin. – Justin Jones, Editorial Assistant, The Hunting Report

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Thanks for the update!

If they rescind the ban on Zim I wonder if that will include the ability of those that hunted since April to import their ivory as well?

https://www.federalregister.go...ophies-from-zimbabwe



This suspension does not prohibit U.S. hunters from traveling to Zimbabwe and participating in an elephant hunt. The ESA special rule for African elephants does not prohibit take (e.g., hunting) outside the United States, but it does prohibit import of sport-hunted trophies unless all requirements have been met. Therefore, it is possible that a hunter that hunted in Zimbabwe and took an elephant after April 4 could import his or her trophy at a later date if the Service can determine in the final finding that imports meet the criteria under the ESA. Nonetheless, the Service cannot ensure that such imports will ever be authorized in the future.
Further, this suspension on imports does not affect elephant taken in Zimbabwe prior to April 4, 2014. Elephants hunted in previous hunting seasons are still eligible to be imported, provided all CITES and other import requirements are met.Show citation box
Dated: May 7, 2014.

Timothy J. Van Norman,
Chief, Branch of Permits, Division of Management Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

quote:

Originally posted by Kathi:
https://www.federalregister.go...ophies-from-zimbabwe



This suspension does not prohibit U.S. hunters from traveling to Zimbabwe and participating in an elephant hunt. The ESA special rule for African elephants does not prohibit take (e.g., hunting) outside the United States, but it does prohibit import of sport-hunted trophies unless all requirements have been met. Therefore, it is possible that a hunter that hunted in Zimbabwe and took an elephant after April 4 could import his or her trophy at a later date if the Service can determine in the final finding that imports meet the criteria under the ESA. Nonetheless, the Service cannot ensure that such imports will ever be authorized in the future.
Further, this suspension on imports does not affect elephant taken in Zimbabwe prior to April 4, 2014. Elephants hunted in previous hunting seasons are still eligible to be imported, provided all CITES and other import requirements are met.Show citation box
Dated: May 7, 2014.

Timothy J. Van Norman,
Chief, Branch of Permits, Division of Management Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Thanks Kathi!!

Cheers
Jim

http://www.huntingreport.com/c...nt_issue.cfm?id=1389



A Warning for Elephant Hunters and a Review of Hunting Nuanetsi
(posted September - 2014)

By Barbara Crown, Editor

In Zimbabwe, I hear that some US hunters have chosen to hunt elephant despite the import suspension by US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), and some operators and agents have suggested they leave their trophies in Zimbabwe until the suspension is lifted. If you have done this or are thinking about doing it, you need to be aware of the possible outcomes. While I applaud anyone who hunts elephant under these circumstances because it contributes much-needed funds for conservation and anti-poaching efforts, I must warn you that there is a risk you will not be able to import your trophy.

That's because USFWS must make a positive enhancement finding for the period of time of the hunt.They have made it retroactive in the past and have left that possibility open for this suspension. John J. Jackson, III, of Conservation Force is working on making that very thing happen.....

Thanks for this important info Kathi!