http://foreignaffairs.house.go...nd-national-security

Today the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs will conduct a hearing on the impacts of illegal wildlife trade, and how organized terrorism is connected with this illicit trade. The featured witnesses for today’s hearing are Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Dan Ashe, Acting Assistant Attorney General of Environment and Natural Resources Division for the Department of Justice Mr. Robert G. Dreher, and Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs for the U.S. Department of State Kerri-Ann Jones.

The Administration officials will be defending the Wildlife Trafficking Strategy that was announced on February 11th: http://www.doi.gov/news/pressr...life-trafficking.cfm. You can read their press release at the link provided. The information at the bottom here was sent to SCI’s membership regarding what is currently known and assumed about the Administration’s policies. More will be learned by SCI’s lobbyists during tomorrow’s hearing, so please expect an additional report following the hearing that begins at 10 a.m.

In preparation for this hearing, we have done the following activities. SCI’s lobbyists met with Congressman Ed Royce’s chief of staff to discuss the hunter-conservation community’s primary concern that the African nations have not been consulted in the process of developing their strategy. We also emphasized that professional guiding and outfitting companies in Africa conserve wildlife on 22% more land than the governments do in National Parks, meaning the policies implemented by the U.S. government may have far reaching consequences for the major land managers of Africa. Finally, we worked with supporters of hunting on the Foreign Affairs Committee who will ask direct questions of the administration officials.

Important Notice to SCI members Regarding Future Policy Changes By U.S. Government For Sport-Hunted Trophy Importation

On February 11, 2014, the Presidential Task Force on Illegal Wildlife Trafficking issued a strategy to combat wildlife poaching throughout the world. The primary focus of this strategy is to curtail illicit ivory and rhino horn trade. While SCI Foundation and SCI strongly support the FWS’s efforts to prevent poaching and the trade of illegally taken wildlife, we have been frustrated with the Administration’s decision to exclude the hunting community and the range countries from such efforts.

When the Task Force was created in October 2013, SCI Foundation worked with the wildlife management authorities of various South and East African nations and submitted a letter to the Task Force in an effort to get their voices heard. The wildlife that is the focus of the anti-trafficking efforts is their wildlife, yet they were not provided a seat at the table. SCI Foundation also delivered a letter to the Task Force on behalf of the Operators and Professional Hunters’ Associations of Southern Africa because the members of the PH associations are literally the frontline against poachers. In addition, SCI circulated and submitted a letter to the Task Force on behalf of 30 national hunting organizations in the U.S., asking for the hunters’ voice to be heard.

SCI Foundation and SCI continue to advocate on behalf of the hunting and outfitting communities to make certain that the Administration’s wildlife trafficking efforts take advantage of the expertise of these communities and that the Task Force’s strategies do not unnecessarily harm or restrict legal hunting activities. Although it leaves many unanswered questions about the FWS’s future actions, the February 11th Strategy document shows that our efforts have achieved some success. In accordance with the changes recommended by the Strategy –
• U.S. hunters will still be able to import sport-hunted elephant and rhino trophies, even though the strategy proposes to limit hunters to two elephant trophies per year.
• The U.S. Government will support community-based wildlife conservation with a focus on using local communities as the first line of defense against poaching. The economic benefits for local communities generated by hunting will be a valuable resource.
• The U.S. Government will promote joint efforts between governments and nongovernmental organizations, like SCI and SCI Foundation, to develop and sustain anti-poaching efforts.


What Does the Task Force’s Strategy Mean for the U.S. Hunter Today?
What Will SCI and SCI Foundation Do to Protect the U.S. Hunter from Harm?
1. The Strategy Does Not Immediately Change the Law. Hunters can continue to import elephant and rhino trophies from approved populations in Africa. Most changes recommended in the Strategy cannot be implemented until the FWS adopts new formal rules. Until new regulations are finalized there can be NO change to current importation practices. As of now, we do not know the specifics of some of the proposed changes, nor do we know how quickly these new rules will go into effect. If the FWS issues rules on an emergency basis, the changes will occur more quickly. If they go through a formal rulemaking period, the process can take several weeks, if not months. Whatever rulemaking is involved, SCI will comment to protect its members hunting and importation opportunities.
2. The Strategy Recognizes that Poachers are the Problem and Hunters Are Part of the Solution. The Strategy demonstrates that the U.S. Government acknowledges that regulated hunters and hunting represent a positive influence for wildlife conservation throughout the world. We, as hunters, should be proud of this fact.
3. The Strategy Demonstrates that the Hunting Community Can Play a Significant Role in Future Strategic Planning. SCI Foundation and SCI will continue to request a position on the Advisory Council to the Task Force and continue the fight for sustainable conservation principles.
4. The Strategy Opens Many New Opportunities for SCI Foundation and SCI to Weigh in on Proposed Changes to the Existing Trophy Import System. Many of the Strategy’s recommended changes will require new regulations and rules. SCI’s Litigation Team will prepare comments on all the proposed regulations that must be enacted before these recommendations are adopted and will use this opportunity to recommend improvements in the FWS’s current approach to trophy importation.
5. The Strategy Presents a Platform for Potential Legislative Improvements. SCI’s lobbyists will work with members of Congress to educate them on the positive benefits that sustainable use delivers for conservation funding, anti-poaching and for community-based economic development.

The Strategy does demonstrate that some regulatory changes will inevitably affect SCI members. Our goal is to ensure that sustainable use is maintained and that it is continually recognized as part of the solution to create conservation funding, reduce human-wildlife conflict, and empower rural communities economically. SCI Foundation and SCI are the voices of Africa’s conservation and hunting community. We are a resource for you and your business. We are lobbying on this issue, and we will be working every legal avenue to make sure your interests are protected as conservationists and hunters.

Thanks for the update.

Gordon
SCI Life Member
NRA Benefactor Member

Thank you for sharing

Another Thank You. Please keep the info coming!

Thanks for taking the time to come on AR and let us know what SCI is doing on behalf of hunters in Africa today. Much appreciated.

Nelson,

Thank you for posting this information.

I wish you the best of luck dealing with USFW, as their reputation worldwide in dealing, logically, with wildlife problems, seems lacking.

In fact, sometimes some of their actions are downright illogical, and are going in the opposite direction of saving our wildlife.

Yesterday the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs conducted a hearing on the impacts of illegal wildlife trade, and how organized terrorism is connected with this illicit trade. As mentioned previously, the witnesses testifying were: Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Dan Ashe, Acting Assistant Attorney General of Environment and Natural Resources Division for the Department of Justice Mr. Robert G. Dreher, and Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs for the U.S. Department of State Kerri-Ann Jones. These individuals have very different areas of expertise, but most of the questions related to on-the-ground conservation successes were provided by Director Ashe.

The primary goal for the witnesses was to explain the Administration’s Wildlife Trafficking Strategy that was announced on February 11th. You can read their press release at the link provided here: http://www.doi.gov/news/pressr...life-trafficking.cfm.

Director Ashe announced the signing of “Directors Order No. 210” (http://www.fws.gov/policy/do210.html). The Order instructs U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel to strictly enforce existing restrictions on the commercial trade of elephant ivory and on the import, export and sale of items made from other protected species under the “antiques exception” of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). As of right now, we are under the impression that there is NO change to the importation standards for sport-hunted trophies. The Administration’s strategy had described a two elephant import per year regulation. At this time, it does not appear the administration will be acting on that import limitation. SCI’s attorneys are vigilantly working with contacts in FWS to monitor any policy developments. You can view the Director’s Order and FAQ’s at this link: http://www.fws.gov/internation...ildlife-trafficking/. Look to the right hand side to find the information.

Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee asked questions regarding conservation programs that were successful in Africa. This line of questions afforded Director Ashe the opportunity to extoll the virtue of hunters as conservationists. Director Ashe cited Namibia’s Living In a Finite Environment (L.I.F.E.) program as having the highest level of success without hesitation. He referenced the positive balance that Namibia’s black rhino permit auction provides for ecological reasons and financial reasons. Support for Namibia’s L.I.F.E. program was bi-partisan with Republicans and Democrats understanding the benefits of natural resources based economies.

One of our primary concerns going into this hearing was the impacts these regulations could have for products that may contain ivory such as guns, knives, antique jewelry, and furniture. At this point there is no clear picture of how or if the administration will target these items. They indicated in their Q&A the regulations were designed to target criminal syndicates, and not the average American citizen. The details will trickle out over the next few weeks.

Before the hearing SCI’s lobbyists had briefed staff for Committee members and we will continue to do so over the coming weeks. The Representatives will be submitting questions for the record (QFR) to get specific details on the impacts to hunters and once that information is known we will distribute it to you.

Thanks for the report. We really appreciate your time and effort!


.

Thanks Nelson. Keeping us up to date on this critical issue is very important.

Thank you Nelson
To hell with USFWP
They are the problem on so many fronts, it's not even funny
Who are these people? Where do they come from?
Don t we elect people to Washington DC to keep things straight?