Abstract:

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are both involved in the protection of biodiversity. CITES is a mechanism which limits international trade in wildlife, while the FAO is more concerned with scientific management of the agricultural and fishery industries in order to promote their sustainable development. Consequently, these two organizations employ different goals and methodologies in their management of aquatic species, and their work is complementary. Over the past few years, the FAO has begun to cooperate with CITES on issues of aquatic species management. However, to date the organizations have not precisely defined their respective responsibilities, their technological standards are not coordinated, and the FAO has not assented to certain provisions in CITES on species management. This article compares FAO and CITES management of several important aquatic species, and offers several recommendations directed at improving Chinese conservation management of aquatic species and conformance to respective FAO and CITES management regimes, while preserving Chinese legal rights and interests.

Key words: convention, fishery, aquatic species, conservation, management