Wild animal and plant trade and protection act 2019 annual report

Official title: Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act Annual Report for 2019

Table of contents

Highlights

1. Introduction
   • 1.1 WAPPRIITA and CITES
   • 1.2 Responsibilities in administering WAPPRIITA
2. Management of wild animals and plants in trade
   • 2.1 Permitting overview
     • 2.1.1 Requirements
     • 2.1.2 Exemptions
     • 2.1.3 Service standards under WAPPRIITA
   • 2.2 Annual report to CITES
   • 2.3 CITES permits issued in 2019
     • 2.3.1. Export permits and re-export certificates
     • 2.3.2. Permits for multiple shipments
     • 2.3.3. Imports into Canada
     • 2.3.4. Specialized CITES certificates
   • 2.4 Permits specific to WAPTR
   • 2.5 Canada's trading partners
3. Assessing the risk to species from trade
   • 3.1 Non-detriment findings
4. Compliance promotion and enforcement of CITES and WAPPRIITA
   • 4.1 Compliance promotion
   • 4.2 Enforcement activities
     • 4.2.1 Inspections
     • 4.2.2 Investigations
     • 4.2.3 Violations
     • 4.2.4 Convictions
   • 4.3 Collaboration with provincial and territorial partners
5. International cooperation
   • 5.1 CITES Conferences of the Parties
   • 5.2 CITES committees and working groups
   • 5.3 International cooperation in enforcement operations
   • 5.4 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
6. Additional information

Highlights

Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (WAPPRIITA)

• International: In August 2019, Canada participated at the 18th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Conference of the Parties. Canada submitted a proposal on behalf of the CITES Standing Committee to amend the requirements for trade in rosewood species and a second document proposing guidance to address and standardize presentation of CITES listing decisions in CITES Appendices following a meeting of the Conference of the Parties. Canada is currently serving as the North American Regional representative and Chair of the Standing Committee. Both proposals were adopted.
• Exports: Canadian jurisdictions issued 7471 CITES export permits and re-export certificates under WAPPRIITA. As in past years, the majority of shipments in 2019 were of cultivated American Ginseng and wild-harvested animals (primarily the American Black Bear), as well as their parts and derivatives.
• Imports: Canada issued 162 CITES import permits, which were mainly for the import of old ivory and hunting trophies from legitimate hunts. In addition, 10 import permits were issued for the import of species posing a risk to Canadian ecosystems, including Raccoon Dogs and Salamanders.
• Enforcement: Environment and Climate Change Canada conducted 3344 inspections under WAPPRIITA. There were 412 violations of WAPPRIITA or its regulations, which resulted in prosecutions, seizures, tickets or warnings. About 15% of the inspections focused on Canadian species at high conservation risk or facing a high level of non-compliance, and 85% focused on foreign species meeting these same criteria of high conservation risk or high level of non-compliance in Canada.