Wild animal and plant trade and protection act: 2017 annual report
Official title: Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act 2017 Annual Report
Table of contents
- Introduction
- Wild animals and plants in trade
- Assessing the risk to species from trade
- Compliance promotion and enforcement of CITES and WAPPRIITA
- 4.1 Compliance promotion
- 4.1.1 Compliance promotion activities
- 4.1.2 Enforcement activities
- 4.1.3 Inspections
- 4.1.4 Investigations
- 4.1.5 Violations
- 4.1.6 Convictions
- 4.2 Collaboration with provincial and territorial partners
- 4.1 Compliance promotion
- International cooperation
- Further information
Highlights
Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (WAPPRIITA)
- International: Canada participated at the 29th meeting of the Animals Committee, the 23rd meeting of the Plants Committee and the 69th meeting of the Standing Committee for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Canada is currently serving as the North American Regional representative of the Standing Committee and as Chair for both the Plants Committee and Standing Committee.
- Domestic: In May 2017, Canada introduced a one-year prohibition on the import of salamanders, unless accompanied by a permit. This measure was put in place to help protect native salamanders from a devastating fungal disease, while longer-term options were being explored.
- Exports: In 2017, Canadian jurisdictions issued 5,578 CITES export permits and re-export certificates under WAPPRIITA, the legislative vehicle by which Canada meets its CITES obligations. As with past years, the majority of shipments in 2017 were of cultivated American Ginseng and wild-harvested animals (primarily the American Black Bear), as well as their parts and derivatives.
- Imports: In 2017, Canada issued 157 CITES import permits, which were mainly for the import of old ivory and hunting trophies from legitimate hunts. In addition, five import permits were issued for the import of species posing a risk to Canadian ecosystems, including raccoon dogs and salamanders.
- Enforcement: In 2017, the Enforcement Branch of Environment and Climate Change Canada conducted 652 individual inspections resulting in 25 convictions. About 32% of the inspections conducted under WAPPRIITA focused on Canadian species at high conservation risk and/or facing a high level of non-compliance, and 68% were focused on foreign species meeting these criteria.