Published in Canada Gazette Part II, the Wild Animal and Plant Trade Regulations amendments to the regulations is to reflect the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) changes. Canada and the other member states (the Parties) adopted 46 amendments to the lists of species protected under the Convention, known as CITES Appendices I and II. In addition, amendments have also been made unilaterally by Parties to CITES Appendix III. To comply with Canada’s domestic legislation that implements CITES, the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (the Act), Canada must amend the Wild Animal and Plant Trade Regulations (WAPTR) to reflect the changes to the CITES appendices.
The amendments reflect the 46 changes to CITES appendices adopted at CoP18 affecting 58 taxa in total. Depending on the amendment, “taxa” can refer to a family, genus, species, subspecies or population. In total, these amendments effect over 400 species or subspecies and include the following:
- New export controls: 25 taxa added to Appendix II, including 1 species, the shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus), which is known to be naturally present in Canada;
- New import and export controls: 8 taxa added to Appendix I;
- Removal of import controls and decrease of export controls: 8 taxa transferred from Appendix I to Appendix II;
- New import controls and increased export controls: 8 taxa transferred from Appendix II to Appendix I; and
- The addition of or modification to the annotations of 9 taxa listed in Appendix II in order to better facilitate trade.
Modifications to the CITES appendices also consider changes that have been made to Appendix III, as requested by the Parties in September 2019. These amendments include:
- New export controls: the addition of 24 taxa to Appendix III; and
- Removal of all trade controls: the deletion of 6 taxa from Appendix III.
Full details of the amendments published on the changes to the regulations on the import and export controls can be viewed here.
Learn more on International trade in protected animals and plants guidance and requirements.
Visit the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) website for the notifications to the parties on the amendments.