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eNewsletter |
September 2001 |
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IWMC
World Conservation Trust |
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U.S. Senate &
International Wildlife
By James M. Beers
Biologist |
No
one can deny the strong protectionist, no-use philosophies of U.S. delegations
to CITES in recent years. The effect of the resulting U.S. policies has
significantly expanded the CITES Appendices and has diminished the human use of
wildlife worldwide. The recent shift of power in the U.S. Senate, caused by one
Senator renouncing his party status, has grave implications for the character of
future U.S. Delegations and policies regarding CITES and world wildlife.
When Senate Democrats assumed power from the Republicans, the Chairmanship of
all Senate Committees went from Senators who would support President Bush’s
sustainable use oriented appointments to U.S. Departments and Agencies, to
Senators who want to defeat both President Bush and his policies. This shift
occurred when President Bush had very few new appointees in place and while the
Departments and Agencies are "stacked" with holdover appointees,
managers, and recent hires who are active advocates of no-use, protectionist
policies regarding all renewable natural resources. Because of changes in the
Federal retirement system and the hiring practices of President Clinton, the
Departments and agencies are currently staffed with ideologues bent on radical
reforms more than at any time in recent memory.
The U.S. Senate must confirm thousands of departmental appointees, Board
Chairmen, and Agency Directors. The new Senate Committee Chairmen have broad
discretion to block, embarrass and delay President Bush’s nominees. Those
Chairmen not only hope to defeat President Bush, they are strong advocates of
the protectionist policies and no-use management philosophies of recent years.
As of this writing in early June, there has been no nomination for the
Assistant Secretary position in the Department of the Interior that has served
as the Head of the US CITES Delegation in recent years. There has been no
nomination for Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service who provides the lion’s
share of the U.S. Delegation membership and staff support. The new Senate
Chairmen can be expected to vigorously oppose appointees who support sustainable
use and to insinuate, so far as they can, appointments and policy commitments
that insure a continuation of current hands-off, no-use wildlife management both
nationally and internationally. Additionally, the new Chairmen will be outspoken
proponents of concentrating the maximum amount of management and legal authority
at the U.S. Federal and the UN levels where control by protectionist bureaucrats
and NGO’s can be exercised.
When you consider all of the collateral appointments (National Marine
Fisheries Service which manages marine mammals, the Geological Survey which
conducts wildlife research, and others) yet to be made, the stakes are enormous.
Those who advocate sustainable use of natural resources hope that the President
prevails. Those who advocate no commercial or recreational uses of wildlife, no
proactive management of wildlife, the continued growth of CITES Appendices and
authority, and the suppression of undeveloped nations’ and U.S. States’
discretion in the management of indigenous wildlife populations hope that the
new Senate Chairmen are successful. The international wildlife stakes are no
less prodigious than the national stakes involved in this shift of power.
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