Fisheries declines are oftenpreceded by certain potentiallydetectable market signals. In

many cases, a familiar pattern can beseen in retrospect: prices rise, catchesand exports increase, landingsdecrease, then a stock assessment isundertaken and a management plan isdeveloped.There are many variationson this pattern, but often, concernsraised about the status of a fishery aretoo little and too late. It is crucial thatincreased efforts be made to predict,rather than react, to such problemswhere possible.

TRAFFIC North America’s newanalytical fact sheet series titled,Fisheries Snapshots: On Trade andConservation Issues, examines sixspecies for which market dynamicsare likely to drive, or have alreadydriven, catches to unsustainablelevels.The Snapshots presentinformation about fisheries landings,price, and trade patterns over time,and couples that information withthe biology and ecology of exploitedspecies.The series examines speciescaught in North American watersincluding: monkfish (Lophiusamericanus), menhaden (Brevoortiatyrannus and B. patronus), spinydogfish (Squalus acanthias),American eels (Anguilla rostrata),sea cucumbers, and squid.

Each Snapshot documents theconservation and trade status of aselected species or species group inNorth American waters. Eachincludes, at a minimum, certainstandard elements, including: trends inbiomass, catch, exports (or imports),

and prices through time. Each detailsthe timing of certain key events in thefishery including first stock assessment,first management plan, first effectivelimit on fishing mortality (this is anindicator of effective management),products generated from catch, majormarkets for products, and major portsof landing. Each Snapshot alsodescribes the status of the species,biologically and ecologically, the levelof knowledge regarding this status, thefishery for the species or speciesgroup, the history of management ofthe species, and the status of trade ofthe species, in terms of flows, volumes,and prices through time as data allow.

By examining and drawingattention to these species, the goal isto observe management problems

Fisheries Snapshots . . . . . . . . . . . .1

North American News

Turtle Poachers Snapped Up . . . . .3

Flying with the Wrong Feathers . . .3

Caviar Corruption Revealed . . . . . .3

DFO Has Its Way with Abalone . . . .4

Flora Filched from FloridaState Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Bald Eagle Poaching in British Columbia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

The Sale Stops Here: Six AllegedPoachers Face Charges . . . . . . . . . .4

Brothers Busted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Tipster Spills the Beans onVegetable Charcoal . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Loyalist Lilac-Crowned Amazonsand Red-Crowned ParrotsRepatriated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Conures Come Home . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Operation America . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

International News

Peru Poachers Put Away . . . . . . . . .6

Network Helps Nab Illegal Traders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Warehouse of Wildlife . . . . . . . . . . .7

Madagascan Military Almost Makes Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Smuggled Chimpanzees Sprung . .7

Fishy Flight Attendant . . . . . . . . . . .7

FISHERIES SNAPSHOTS Focus in on Trade and Conservation Issues

Volume 4 • Number 1 • August 2005

A Publication of TRAFFIC North America

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2 The TRAFFIC Report

more quickly, and to begin forecasting problemsso management actions can be taken soonerrather than later.

Following is a brief summary of each of thespecies or species groups examined in FisheriesSnapshots: On Trade and Conservation Issues:

• Monkfish (Lophius americanus), a bizarrelooking groundfish that was once thrownoverboard as trash, is now valued for itscheeks, liver, and tail.The development ofthe North American monkfish fishery wasclosely related to the opening of the exportmarkets in Europe and Asia, and the severeoverfishing of other groundfish species.

• Atlantic menhaden and Pacific menhaden(Brevoortia tyrannus and B. patronus) havebeen important high-volume, relatively low-value staples of U.S. fishery landings forcenturies and are among the top 20 speciesin terms of landings by weight. Menhaden, atype of herring found in both the AtlanticOcean and the Gulf of Mexico, are small fishused primarily for fish meal and oil.Whilefishery managers currently consider neitherspecies to be overfished, recent poorrecruitment of juvenile Atlantic menhaden iscause for serious concern.

• Spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), likeother shark species, are exceptionallyvulnerable to overfishing because they growslowly, mature late and produce few young.Spiny dogfish in the Northwest Atlantic havesuffered a precipitous decline in populationas European demand increased and theAmerican dogfish fishery expanded in the1990s.The Northwest Atlantic fishery targetslarge dogfish, which are usually the femalesbecause they grow larger than males, furtherthreatening the dogfish population andsustainability of the fishery.

• American eels (Anguilla rostrata) arevulnerable to overfishing due to their

complex life cycles and long lives. TheAmerican eel fishery has been closelylinked to foreign markets, particularly inJapan and Europe. Demand from theseregions and high prices fueled significant,though largely unregulated, fisheries inNorth America. Since the gold rush forAmerican eels in the 1990s, there has beena decline in catches despite all time highsin terms of prices for eels.

• Several species of sea cucumbers areexamined in this snapshot including:Isostichopus fuscus, Cucumaria frondosa,Parastichopus californicus, and P.parvimensis. Sea cucumbers areparticularly vulnerable to overfishing due totheir late maturity, density-dependentreproduction, sedentary habits and smallhome ranges.They are of significantecological importance as well as economicimportance, serving as a major food sourcein many parts of the world.

• Several species of squid are also examined inthis snapshot including: market squid (Loligoopalescens), Northern short-fin squid (Illexillecebrosus), long-fin squid (Loligo pealeii),and jumbo flying squid (Dosidicus gigas).Consumer demand for squid for bait andfood is growing and fisheries, both old andnew, are responding to this demand.Unfortunately, the growing demand for squidand the expansion of squid fisheries appearsto only increase management problems thatresult from squid biology.

TRAFFIC’s Fisheries Snapshots will soon beavailable at www.worldwildlife.org/traffic.

TRAFFIC North AmericaRegional Officec/o World Wildlife Fund–US1250 24th Street, NWWashington, DC 20037Phone: 202/293-4800Fax: 202/775-8287Email: tna@wwfus.orgWeb: www.traffic.org

TRAFFIC North AmericaCanada Officec/o WWF–CanadaSuite 512B409 Granville StreetVancouver, BC V6C 1T2 CanadaPhone: 604/678-5152Fax: 604/678-5155Email: traffic@wwfcanada.org

TRAFFIC North AmericaMexico Officec/o WWF–Mexico

Program OfficeAve. Mexico No. 51Col. Hipodromo Condesa06100 Mexico, D.F.Phone: 525/286-5631/5634

ext. 216Fax: 525/286-5637Email: AReuter@wwfmex.org

Director:Simon Habel

Deputy Director:Crawford Allan

Program Officer:Leigh Henry

Research Assistant/Managing Editor:

Tina Leonard O’ConnellCanada NationalRepresentative:

Ernest CooperMexico NationalRepresentative:

Adrian Reuter

Photo collage: (l. to r.) scarletmacaw, Howard Buffett; bullshark, WWF/Sylvia Earle;hawksbill turtle, Anja G. Burns;American black bear, HowardBuffett; fishhook cactus, J.Atchley; tiger, WWF/MartinHarvey.

© 2005 World Wildlife Fund.All rights reserved.

ISSN: 1540-8418 • TR05-1

All material appearing in TheTRAFFIC Report is copyrightedand may be reproduced withpermission. Please credit TheTRAFFIC Report.

TRAFFIC North America ispart of the worldwide TRAFFICNetwork, a joint program ofWWF and IUCN.

The TRAFFIC Report ismade possible by thegenerous support of theHendrickson Trust.

TRAFFIC North America gratefullyacknowledges the generous support of

Francois and Sheila BrutschCGMK FoundationThe Walt Disney Company FoundationThe Hendrickson TrustMrs. Niels W. JohnsenEugene LindenThe Curtis and Edith Munson FoundationNOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant ProgramThe David and Lucile Packard FoundationSave The Tiger Fund John M. Simpson FoundationU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceThe Wallace Global Fund

TRAFFIC Staff NewsCraig Hoover, former Deputy Director, left TRAFFICNorth America in July 2004 for an exciting new post ashead of the special wildlife intelligence unit for theUnited States Fish and Wildlife Service. Craig’simpressive work for TRAFFIC over 8 years includedproduction of some key research and reports onissues such as the US reptile trade. Crawford Allanstarted as Deputy Director in March 2005, transferringfrom TRAFFIC International, where he wascoordinator of the TRAFFIC network’s work on wildlifetrade regulation and enforcement support. Over thepast 11 years, Crawford led TRAFFIC’s work globallyon investigating illegal wildlife trade, regulatoryimprovements and capacity building. Tina Leonardhas left TRAFFIC North America to study for aMaster's degree at Yale University. Tina worked for 4years as our Program Associate, supporting theregional program and managing report productionand research. We would like to welcome Crawford,and wish Craig and Tina the best of luck.

3August 2005

TURTLE POACHERS SNAPPED UP

On 6 April 2005, seven residents of Calhoun andMarshall County,Alabama, were arrested for illegallycatching and selling turtles from the wild despitebeing familiar with Alabama regulations regardingsize limits and protected turtle species.

The alleged culprits were caught in connectionwith Operation Snapper, an 18-month multi-stateinvestigation that documented legal and illegal salesof turtles. Approximately 50 additional peoplethroughout the United States are facing state orfederal charges as a result of this investigation.

Operation Snapper documented over 340illegal turtle sales and was carried out by theAlabama Department of Conservation’s Division ofWildlife and Freshwater Fisheries; the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service; the Mississippi Department ofWildlife, Fisheries and Parks; the GeorgiaDepartment of Natural Resources; the Florida Fishand Wildlife Conservation Commission and theTennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Wild turtles caught from Alabama and otherstates are in high demand at turtle farms andbutcher shops in Louisiana,Arkansas and Florida.Turtle farmers stock ponds with wild caught turtlesto harvest and incubate the eggs.The hatchlings arethen sold to buyers in Asia, Europe and the UnitedStates, where some are raised to eat—and sold forup to US$7 a pound—and others are raised for pets.(Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resourcespress release, 8 April 2005)

FLYING WITH THE WRONG FEATHERS

On 12 May 2005, a Toronto man was arrestedwhile attempting to board a return flight to Canadaafter allegedly selling endangered species productscontaining elephant ivory and parrot featherornaments to U.S. wildlife officers in New York City.

Mark J. Gleberzon was arraigned on numerousfelony charges including smuggling endangeredanimal products into the United States in personand via mail courier. Gleberzon was released on aUS$500,000 bond and a probation order restrictinghim to the Greater Toronto Area and a federal courtin Buffalo, New York. Gleberzon faces numerouscharges in Canada under the Wild Animal PlantProtection and Regulation of International andInterprovincial Trade Act and the Migratory BirdsConvention Act, in addition to the charges in the

United States. Gleberzon’s home was also raided andofficials seized a computer, along with a number ofartifacts containing various parts of animals andmounted birds.

The arrest concluded a 17-month investigationjointly undertaken by the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService and officers of Environment Canada’sCanadian Wildlife Service stationed in Burlington,Ontario. During this time at least eight illegalshipments from Canada to the United States weremade, either in person or by courier.(Environment Canada press release, 24 May 2005)

CAVIAR CORRUPTION REVEALED

On 6 May 2005, California state game wardensarrested nine individuals in an attempt to break upan alleged ring of sturgeon poachers selling caviaron the black market. The caviar was being sold onthe black market for $256 a pound.

Among those arrested was Mark Goldman, theproprietor of the Gastronom delicatessen, wherethe fish eggs were being sold for $16 per ounce.Agents said Golmyan sold caviar that had beentaken from illegally caught white sturgeon(Acipenser transmontanus) in the Sacramento-SanJoaquin River Delta.

California regulations ban commercial sturgeon fishing, although sports fishermen areallowed to catch no more than one sturgeon perday.Wardens said the men would approachfishermen and offer to buy sturgeon that theycaught, and it was fishermen who then alertedwardens about the offers.

To subscribe to The TRAFFIC Report, please email your name and mailing address totna@wwfus.org, or mail the information to TRAFFIC North America, c/o World Wildlife Fund,1250 24th Street N.W., Washington, DC 20037.

White sturgeon are the largest freshwater fish in North Americaand can weigh over 1,500 pounds, be 20 feet in length, and live forover 100 years.

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Wardens arrested four other men in SanFrancisco: Igor Donets,Arkady Rubinshteyn,Alexander Averbakh and George Buck, as well asNikolay Krasnodemskiy from Sacramento. Threeother men from Sacramento were also arrested.

Krasnodemskiy, whom wardens described as the ringleader, had processed 120 pounds of illegalcaviar, worth an estimated $31,000, at his auto body shop.(San Francisco Chronicle, 6 May 2005)

DFO HAS ITS WAY WITH ABALONE

On 29 April 2005, Richard Kieu Du pleaded guiltyfor unlawfully possessing abalone and was finedCA$25,000 (US$19,873). The guilty plea was a resultof a year long investigation by Canada’s Fisheries andOceans (DFO) Special Investigation Unit.

The court ordered that CA$5,000 (US$3,975) beconstituted as a fine and that the remainingCA$20,000 (US$15,899) be directed towards DFO forthe purpose of promoting and fostering the recoveryof abalone stocks on the West Coast of Canada, andfor organizations working on the conservation andprotection of abalone and abalone habitat.

Northern, or pinto, abalone (Haliotiskamtschatkana) are protected in Canada under thefederal Species at Risk Act (SARA). Illegal harvest isconsidered to be the most significant threat tonorthern abalone recovery.(Department of Fisheries and Oceans press release, 29 April 2005)

FLORA FILCHED FROM FLORIDA STATE PARKS

Gary L. Bienemann of Clearwater, Florida, wasarrested 3 May 2005 for unlawful harvesting,possession and sale of endangered, protected andthreatened species of orchids. Bienemann allegedlysold hundreds of orchids and flowers stolen from twostate parks through a St. Petersburg-based nursery andthrough the online auction website, eBay.

EBay assisted state officers in the investigationand removed illegal items from their website uponnotification. Following a citizen tip, the suspect wasfound to illegally possess with intent to distributenumerous types of orchids including, but notlimited to, a dancing-lady orchid (Oncidium Spp.),which is found only in Florida’s Jonathan DickinsonState Park, and a ribbon orchid (Cleistes divaricata),which is located only within Fakahatchee StrandPreserve State Park.(Florida Department of Environmental Protection pressrelease, 3 May 2005)

BALD EAGLE POACHING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Approximately 40 dead bald eagles (Haliaeetusleucocephalus) were found in British Columbiaduring the month of February. In the most recentcase, 14 more eagle carcasses were found nearCates Park in North Vancouver. In this case, thebirds had their wing tips, tails and talons removed,leading investigators to believe the birds were killedby poachers looking to sell the parts to FirstNations groups for use in cultural ceremonies, eventhough First Nations groups do not condonepoaching and the killings have shaken many FirstNations communities on Canada’s west coast. Theother 26 birds found in early February were alsomissing similar parts.

Although officers do have suspects in mind, thepublic is urged to continue calling withinformation, and a reward of CA$10,000 (US$7,947)is being offered by various organizations. It wasalso stated that if caught and convicted, the peopleresponsible for the killings could face either jailtime or be fined as much as CA$200,000(US$158,930) per bird.(Vancouver Sun, 22 February 2005)

THE SALE STOPS HERE: SIX ALLEGEDPOACHERS FACE CHARGES

In March,Alberta Wildlife Officers broke up aring of six alleged poachers after a seven-yearinvestigation. The poachers are thought to havestretched into Ontario and Washington State.The sixAlbertans face more than 40 charges as a result oftwo undercover operations that began years agowhen the men accused were found illegally sellingeagle feathers and meat from deer, moose, and elk.All six accused face trafficking charges under the

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Bald eagles are found only in North America, with the majority ofthe population living on the northwest coast of the continent.

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NEWSNEWSWild Animal Plant Protection and Regulation ofInternational and Interprovincial Trade Act.(National Post, 13 April 2005)

BROTHERS BUSTED

JacksonMuldoon, anOregon man whomakes his living intrading exoticplants, wassentenced on 4April 2005 infederal court forillegally trading inbody parts fromexotic animals.Muldoon faces sixmonths homeconfinement, twoyears probationand a $2,000 fineafter pleadingguilty last May to afederal smugglingcount alleging thathe accepted partsfrom orangutans(Pongopygmaeus),helmeted hornbills (Buceros vigil), and cloudedleopards (Neofelis nebulosa)—all classified asendangered.

Muldoon repackaged and forwarded exoticanimal parts to his brother, Dennis Gruver, in Hawaii,who is an artifacts trader and is a second timeoffender. Gruver also pleaded guilty to one countalleging trafficking in body parts from endangeredspecies and was given six months homeconfinement, three years probation and a $3,000 fine.

Gruver’s first conviction was in 1998 forsmuggling endangered animals into Hawaii fromMalaysia. Muldoon got involved in smuggling afterhis brother complained that customs was givinghim a hard time and Muldoon began acting as amiddle man, accepting packages from around theworld and repackaging them to Gruver.(News-Register, 5 April 2005)

TIPSTER SPILLS THE BEANS ON VEGETABLE CHARCOAL

Based on a citizen’s tip, the Attorney General forthe Protection of the Environment (PROFEPA),seized 20 tons of vegetable charcoal. At least 100cubic meters of branches must have been taken

(some 1,000 trees) in the process, amounting tosignificant damage to the environment.

The PROFEPA Delegate in Sinaloa stated thatafter investigating the facts, inspectors found awhite truck with Federal Public Service licenseplates containing 100 nylon bags with productsfrom the tree species Acacia cochliacantha andLysiloma divaricata. These plants are found insemi-desert areas in which trees are scarce and areparticularly important for the ecosystem.

The owner of the vehicle could not providedocumentation to prove the legal origin of themerchandise.(PROFEPA press release, 4 April 2005)

LOYALIST LILAC-CROWNED AMAZONS AND RED-CROWNED PARROTS REPATRIATED

As a result of close collaboration betweenMexico and the United States to combat illegal tradeof song and ornate birds, the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService and SEMARNAT (Environmental Ministry ofMexico) managed to repatriate 66 lilac-crownedamazons (Amazona finschi) and 22 red-crownedparrots (Amazona viridigenalis) to Mexico.

These birds, which were illegally traded to theUnited States, are considered in danger of extinctionand are protected by Mexico through the OfficialMexican Norm NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2001,according to the sub-attorney of natural resourcesof the Attorney General for the Protection of theEnvironment (PROFEPA).

Both species are also listed on CITES(Convention on International Trade in EndangeredSpecies of Wild Fauna and Flora) Appendix I.Therepatriation of these birds is founded in Article VIIIof CITES, in which the administrative authority ofthe country that seizes the specimens commits tosend them back to the country of origin.

The birds are currently in captivity for aquarantine period and will eventually be set free orused as breeding stock for captive breedingprograms.(PROFEPA press release, 26 January 2005)

CONURES COME HOME

The Attorney General for the Protection of theEnvironment (PROFEPA) reintroduced 210 greenconures (Aratinga holochlora) to the wild in theState of San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

These birds are considered threatened acordingto the Official Mexican Norm NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2001. The conures were part of a shipment seizedon 17 October 2005 by state authorities.A total of

The word orangutan means "man ofthe forest" in the Malay language.Orangutans, Asia's only ape, mostlylive in trees and swing from branch tobranch using their arms.

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PERU POACHERS PUTAWAY

In April 2005, threePeruvian poachers werearrested and charged withkilling seven people since2000, including four parkrangers, two police officers,and one local man. Inaddition, the poachershijacked buses and cargotrucks passing throughremote zones and illegally

slaughtered 2,500 vicunas (Vicugna vicugna), aprotected Andean animal sought for its wool.Vicuna wool currently sells for US$500 perkilogram in Bolivia and is sold for double that inother areas, such as Europe.(The Guardian, 15 April 2005)

NETWORK HELPS NAB ILLEGALTRADERS

Acting on information received from anactive informers’ network, the raiding party of theCorbett Tiger Reserve in India nabbed twopeople involved in the illegal trade of a leopard(Panthera pardus) skin and bones in January2005. The two offenders were arrested from avillage adjoining Corbett Tiger Reserve, one of theprotected areas within the Terai Arc Landscape.

This is the second time within an eightmonth span in which a successful raid has beencarried out, with credit due to regular patrolling,

6 The TRAFFIC Report

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NEWSNEWSInternational

NEWSNEWS275 conures were being transported in a pick uptruck from the state of Hidalgo with San Luis Potosias its final destination for illegal trade; unfortunately,65 birds did not survive the rehabilitation phase.

PROFEPA started an administrative processwhich concluded in a fine of more than MX$90,000(US$8,100).At the same time, PROFEPA denouncedthe case to the Federal Public Ministry for acts thatcan be considered environmental crimes.Theliberation of the 210 birds was coordinated with theoffice of the Attorney General and theEnvironmental Ministry.(PROFEPA press release, 11 March 2005)

OPERATION AMERICA

Marc Langlois, a resident of Levis, Quebec,pleaded guilty on 14 March 2005 to 45 chargesrelating to the purchase, sale, and possession ofblack bear (Ursus americanus) gall bladders for thepropose of illegal interprovincial trade. He wassentenced to pay CA$37,710 (US$30,621) in finesand court costs, amounting to one of the highestfines ever imposed in Canada relating to thepossession of bear parts.

Langlois was found guilty of the poaching-related activities following interventions carried outunder Operation America. Operation America wascarried out between 2001 and 2003, and targetedthe poaching and illicit trade of black bears andtheir parts, as well as other game. On 20 November2002, search warrants were carried out in over 60locations, including Langlois’ residence andworkplace.(Environment Canada press release, 14 March 2005)

Black bear parts continue to be in demand, especially thegallbladders and paws, which are used in Asian markets asmedicine and food.

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Vicunas are smaller, fleet-footed cousins of the camel. Amature vicuna weighs about 90 pounds and stands just underthree feet at the shoulder.

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anti-poaching operations and vigilant staff. World WildlifeFund (WWF) has played an active role by providinginfrastructure to support the Reserve and other protectedareas in the region.(WWF India, 14 January 2005)

WAREHOUSE OF WILDLIFEOn 1 February 2005, police in Delhi, India, raided the

basement of a warehouse in Patel Nagar and discovered anenormous stock of wildlife products.The haul consisted of39 leopard skins (including one snow leopard, Pantherauncia), 2 tiger skins (Panthera tigris), 42 otter skins, 3 kgof tiger claws, 14 tiger canines, 10 tiger jaw bones, about135 porcupine quills, 60 kg of tiger and leopard paws, and20 small pieces of bone that appear to be tiger andleopard ‘floating’ clavicle bones. Officials were shockedby the sheer quantity and variety of the seizure. Fourpeople were arrested, including the niece and anotherrelative of the notorious wildlife trader Sansar Chand, andtwo employees at the warehouse. Chand is thought to beresponsible for more tiger and leopard deaths than anyoneelse in India and is presently being held in custody withhis wife and son due to a conviction in a wildlife case inJaipur last year.(Wildlife Protection Society of India, 2 February 2005)

MADAGASCAN MILITARY ALMOST MAKES OUT Three Madagascan army officers were arrested in

February 2005 on suspicion of smuggling nearly 200endangered tortoises out of the country on a Frenchmilitary plane. Customs officials on the island ofReunion discovered the tortoises during a routinecheck of a cargo plane, though the island was mostlikely not the final destination for the goods.Tortoises are prized in Asia where they are used intraditional medicine and shells are turned intojewelry. The Spider and Radiated tortoises (Pyxisarachnoids and Geochelone radiata) are two of the

most endangered species in Madagascar, with habitat lossand poaching being the major threats to their continuedexistence. Upon further inspection, officials also foundsmuggled gems and vanilla pods onboard the plane.(Reuters, 10 February 2005)

SMUGGLED CHIMPANZEES SPRUNG On 16 February

2005, Kenya seized sixbaby chimpanzees(Pan troglodytes) atJomo KenyattaInternational Airport.The chimpanzees werefound crammed into acrate, together withfour Guenons, a type oflong-tailed Africanmonkey, in fairly poorcondition. Thechimpanzees, with ablack market value ofUS$20,000 each, wereen route from Egypt toNigeria, and belonged to a woman who claimed the cratewas a kennel containing dogs. Chimpanzees and othergreat apes are listed on Appendix I of CITES (Conventionon International Trade in Endangered Species of WildFauna and Flora) and all international trade is banned.(The Independent, 20 February 2005)

FISHY FLIGHT ATTENDANTA flight attendant was caught carrying 16 highly

endangered Asian Arowanas (Scleropages formosus) inwater-filled plastic bags hidden in his luggage on a flightfrom Viet Nam to Australia.

The Asian Arowana, or dragon fish, is highly prized bymany as it symbolizes luck, wealth, prosperity andstrength. It is endangered in the wild, and is listed onCITES (Convention on International Trade in EndangeredSpecies of Wild Fauna and Flora) Appendix I.

The 26-year-old man faces a maximum sentence of 10years imprisonment and a fine of up to US$87,000 ifconvicted of smuggling wildlife into Australia, viaMelbourne International airport.(Kansas City Star, 11 March 2005)

To obtain information on specific CITES notifications,please contact the CITES Secretariat, United NationsEnvironment Programme, 15, chemin des Anemones,Case Postale 456, 1219 Chatelaine, Geneva, Switzerland.Email: cites@unep.ch Web Site: www.cites.org

The snow leopard population is estimated to be between 4,000 and 7,000,with sharp declines in certain regions reported since the 1990s.

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Chimpanzees, the closest living relativeto humans, share an estimated 98percent of our genes.

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PERMIT NO. 4467

The Gardener's Guide to Plant Conservation (1993), 187 pp.

Prescription for Extinction: Endangered Species and Patented OrientalMedicines in Trade (1994), 300 pp.

Status, Management, and Commercialization of the American BlackBear (Ursus americanus) (1995), 132 pp.

Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on the Trade ofBear Parts (1997), 239 pp.

An Overview of World Trade in Cervid Antler with an Emphasis on theUnited States and Canada (1997), 98 pp.

American Ginseng:The Root of North America’s Medicinal Herb Trade(1998), 94 pp.

While Supplies Last:The Sale of Tiger and Other Endangered SpeciesMedicines in North America (1998), 57 pp.

Shark Fisheries and Trade in the Americas,Volume I: North America(1998), 201 pp.

The U.S.Role in the International Live Reptile Trade:Amazon Tree Boasto Zululand Dwarf Chameleons (1998), 59 pp.

A World Apart? Attitudes Toward Traditional Chinese Medicine andEndangered Species in Hong Kong and the United States (1998), 80 pp.

A Review of State Bear Trade Laws: U.S. State Statutes and RegulationsRegarding the American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) (1999), 171 pp.

"Comparative analysis of management regimes and medicinal plant trademonitoring mechanisms for American ginseng and goldenseal" (1999), 14pp.Article reprinted from Conservation Biology (14/5/1422-34)

Asian Turtle Trade: Proceedings of a Workshop on Conservation andTrade of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises in Asia (2000), 164 pp.

Mahogany Matters:The U.S.Market for Big-Leafed Mahogany and ItsImplications for the Conservation of the Species (2000), 58 pp.

Swimming Against the Tide: Recent Surveys of Exploitation, Trade,and Management of Marine Turtles in the Northern Caribbean(2001), 161 pp.

In the Black: Status, Management, and Trade of the American BlackBear (Ursus americanus) in North America (2002), 161 pp.

Prickly Trade:Trade and Conservation of Chihuahuan Desert Cacti(2003), 122pp.

Caviar and Conservation: Status, Management, and Trade of NorthAmerican Sturgeon and Paddlefish (2003), 224 pp.

A Guide to the Identification of Seahorses (2004), 114 pp. (inpartnership with Project Seahorse)

A Tale of Two Cities:A Comparative Study of Traditional ChineseMedicine Markets in San Francisco and New York City (2004), 21 pp.

Tackling the Ivories:The Status of the U.S.Trade in Elephant and HippoIvory (2004), 54 pp.

CITES, Eh? A Review of Canada’s Implementation of CITES UnderWAPPRIITA (2004), 124 pp.

Single copies of any TRAFFIC North America publication are availableat no charge to wildlife officials and can be ordered by contactingTRAFFIC. Other interested parties should contact Zoo Book Sales, P.O. Box 405, Lanesboro, MN 55949-0405. Telephone: (507) 467-8733.Fax: (507) 467-8735. Email: zoobooks@acegroup.cc Web site: www.zoobooksales.com

TRAFFIC NORTH AMERICA PUBLICATIONSTRAFFIC NORTH AMERICA PUBLICATIONS

c/o World Wildlife Fund–US1250 Twenty-Fourth Street, NWWashington, DC 20037

TRAFFIC works toensure that tradein wild plantsand animals isnot a threat tothe conservationof nature.