‘Young Humphead wrasse on sale outside restaurant in southern China’
(Photo credit Liu Min-IUCN)
FAO activities and publications in relation to CITES and commercially exploited species
NDF Model -Excel File (for calculation of quota)
News updates: Poaching of Humpheadwrasse in the Philippines - December 2006
More Reports on Trade & Underwater Visual Census
The Humphead (Napoleon)
wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus, was listed on Appendix II of CITES
(Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species – for more information
see: http://www.cites.org/) in October of
2004. It was listed because it is considered to be actually or potentially
threatened by current exploitation levels or disturbances if these persist.
The species was originally proposed for Appendix II at CoP 12. It was adopted by consensus at CoP13. The CoP13 proposal can be accessed. The FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization) ad hoc Advisory Panel on commercially exploited aquatic species being proposed for Appendices I and II at CoP13, assessed the proposal prior to CoP13 and agreed that it was consistent with Appendix listing criteria.
Following the Appendix II listing in October 2004, several initiatives were developed to raise awareness about the listing and also to collect additional information on trade and natural densities relevant to the development of Non-Detriment Findings (i.e. a sustainable management plan) for the species in Indonesia, the major exporting country for this species.
- December, 2004 - a project was initiated by the IUCN (World Conservation
Union) Groupers and Wrasses Specialist Group (GWSG- http://www.hku.hk/ecology/GroupersWrasses/iucnsg/index.html,
www.humpheadwrasse.info), working together with the government of
Indonesia CITES Scientific and Management Authorities and Fisheries
divisions. The project was funded by the CITES Secretariat.
Indonesia is a major
exporter of the Humphead wrasse, and the project, which consists of trade
surveys and underwater visual census work in Indonesia, was designed to assist
the government to develop its non-detriment findings. TRAFFIC-Southeast Asia
(T-SEA) is conducting the trade
surveys for IUCN and Dr. Pat Colin of the Cora lReef Research Foundation
is conducting the underwater work. Both aspects of the project have been
completed and reports are ready.
- January 13, 2006 - in Hong Kong , the major importer of the Humphead wrasse, a
local meeting was jointly held between the Agriculture, Conservation and
Fisheries Department of the Hong Kong government and the IUCN GWSG (Proceedings for
HHW workshop). The purpose of the workshop was to raise awareness in
Hong Kong regarding the Appendix II listing, and on associated local
legislation on possession of the Humphead wrasse that has been drafted.
The workshop also sought the input and views of traders of this species to
learn how they would be affected and to collect their opinions on the
implications of the listing. A report on the workshop is being prepared
and will be available shortly.
- February 15 and 16, 2006 – a national level workshop held in Jakarta hosted by LIPI (Indonesian Institute of Sciences) and co-organized with T-SEA, assisted by the IUCN-GWSG. The workshop is on Trade dynamics and population status of Napoleon Wrasse, Cheilinus undulatus, in Indonesia and its purpose is to enable a preliminary presentation of trade and UVC data collected (see first bullet above) and to identify remaining data and information gaps (Jakarta meeting objectives).
- June 5 - 7 – regional meeting held in Hong Kong and co-organized by WWF-HK, IUCN-GWSG, AFCD, CITES and TRAFFIC to discuss management options for the Humphead wrasse. In particular, the possibility of adopting a regionally consistent approach, based on the work in Indonesia (see above bullet), to managing this species will be addressed. Attendees should include the CITES Scientific and Management Authorities of key exporting countries in SE Asia, representatives from fishery divisions, FAO and other relevant organizations. (report)