Measuring progress in nature conservation
against the CBD and PEBLDS
Seminar: "Implementation of CITES and
problem of poaching in the Green Belt Velebit area"
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has the primary objective
of ensuring that international trade in wild animals and plants
does not threaten their survival. Programmes of CITES are
focussed on monitoring the status of species, especially those
that are traded with the aim of exerting controls on the trade
in those species threatened with over-exploitation. The controls
are based on the levels of threat to the particular species.
Unlike the Convention on Biological Diversity and Ramsar Convention,
CITES does not work through programmes of work. Instead, species
are placed in one of three lists according to the degree of
protection they need. The species covered by CITES are found
in all ecosystems and are representative of all ecosystem
types. The work of CITES contributes to the work of the
Convention on Biological Diversity on conservation and sustainable
use of biodiversity. Secretariat of CBD has recognized
the importance of cooperation and synergy with other Conventions
and the Secretariat has entered into memoranda cooperation
with, among others, CITES Convention in order to cooperate
and coordinate activities with a view to facilitating the
exchange of relevant information and experience and enhancing
synergies in areas of mutual interest (Decision VI/20
of CBD on cooperation with other organizations, initiatives
and conventions).
The Green Belt Velebit project started in 2001 as a
joint Green Action and WWF Mediterranean Policy Office
initiative for the long-term conservation and sustainable
development of the large karst landscape system comprising
the river basins of Lika, Gacka and Krbava, the Velebit
mountain range and the sea channel where the system's
underground streams remerge. During our work we recognized
poaching as one of the threats to biodiversity, especially
poaching of the wild birds. Therefore we have organized
seminar "Implementation of CITES and problem
of poaching in Green Belt Velebit area" that
was held on 10 of November 2005 in Gospic as one of
the GA and WWF activities taken in order to reinforce
hunting legislation with anti-poaching measures, provide
customs officers with better tools to counter poaching
and increase rejection towards poaching in local stakeholders.
On the Seminar representatives from responsible
Ministries presented how to actively implement CITES,
what the role of inspection is in the implementation and
how CITES is transposed in Nature Protection Law. Also
new Hunting Law proposal that was in the same time in
the second reading in the Parliament was presented and
this was a great opportunity for Green Action and the
audience to discuss main issues from the Law with representatives
from the Ministry of Forestry, Agriculture and Water Management
and helped Green Action in preparing comments on the draft
Law. Green Action presented problem of poaching in the
Green Belt Velebit area as introduction into the discussion.
The seminar was very well attended (about 40 people), which
indicate how much the people in the area are aware and interested
in the problem of poaching (another indicator is vivid discussion
during the seminar). Participants came from different backgrounds:
hunters, rangers from Nature and National Parks, local NGOs,
foresters, county officials and customs officers.
