16 U.S.C. § 5301 — Findings
submitted 32 years ago by Pub. L. 103-391 to r/title-16-CONSERVATION · 359 words · no verdicts yet
This section states Congress's findings about rhinoceros and tiger population declines, endangered-species listings, international conservation measures, and United States actions involving China and Taiwan.
Congress finds: (1) the world's rhinoceros population has fallen 90 percent since 1970; (2) all five tiger subspecies are threatened in the wild, with about 5,000 to 6,000 tigers left worldwide; (3) all rhinoceros species have been on CITES Appendix I since 1977; (4) all tiger subspecies have been on Appendix I since 1987; (5) except for the southern white-rhinoceros subspecies, these tigers and rhinoceros species are endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; (6) in 1987 CITES parties urged a moratorium on rhinoceros-product sales and trade, other than legally taken trophies, destruction of government rhinoceros-horn stockpiles, and pressure on countries allowing that trade; (7) on September 7, 1993, the Secretary certified under title 22 section 1978 that China and Taiwan traded rhinoceros and tiger parts in a way that weakened an international conservation program; (8) on September 9, 1993, CITES's Standing Committee urged stricter domestic measures, including an immediate wildlife-trade prohibition; (9) on November 8, 1993, the President announced United States trade sanctions against China and Taiwan unless they made substantial progress by March 1994 toward ending the trade; and (10) on April 11, 1994, the President (A) prohibited imports of wildlife specimens and products from Taiwan because Taiwan had not done enough to stop illegal trade, and (B) kept China's certification in effect and ordered additional monitoring of China's progress.
The Congress finds the following:
The world’s rhinoceros population is declining at an alarming rate, a 90 percent decline since 1970.
All 5 subspecies of tiger are currently threatened with extinction in the wild, with approximately 5,000 to 6,000 tigers remaining worldwide.
All rhinoceros species have been listed on Appendix I of CITES since 1977.
All tiger subspecies have been listed on Appendix I of CITES since 1987.
The tiger and all rhinoceros species, except the southern subspecies of white rhinoceros, are listed as endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
In 1987, the parties to CITES adopted a resolution that urged all parties to establish a moratorium on the sale and trade in rhinoceros products (other than legally taken trophies), to destroy government stockpiles of rhinoceros horn, and to exert pressure on countries continuing to allow trade in rhinoceros products.
On September 7, 1993, under section 1978 of title 22 the Secretary certified that the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan were engaged in trade of rhinoceros parts and tiger parts that diminished the effectiveness of an international conservation program for that endangered species.
On September 9, 1993, the Standing Committee of CITES, in debating the continuing problem of trade in rhinoceros horn and tiger parts, adopted a resolution urging parties to CITES to implement stricter domestic measures, up to and including an immediate prohibition in trade in wildlife species.
On November 8, 1993, under section 1978 of title 22, the President announced that the United States would impose trade sanctions against China and Taiwan unless substantial progress was made by March 1994 towards ending trade in rhinoceros and tiger products.
On April 11, 1994, under section 1978 of title 22, the President—
directed that imports of wildlife specimens and products from Taiwan be prohibited, in response to Taiwan’s failure to undertake sufficient actions to stop illegal rhinoceros and tiger trade; and
indicated that the certification of China would remain in effect and directed that additional monitoring of China’s progress be undertaken.
Source credit: (Pub. L. 103–391, § 2, Oct. 22, 1994, 108 Stat. 4094.)
- 1994Enacted · Pub. L. 103-391 · 108 Stat. 4094
A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 103-391 on 1994-10-22.
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