Have you ever question hunting overseas and what laws might be in place when bringing back animals taken abroad?
The following info comes from the USFW website and the CITES website.
Both places are a valuable set of resources to look at when going on any interantional hunts.
I just wanted to bring both websites to mind and have a blog post with a little info from each and direct links to each website for you to be able to dive in more.
I hope this blog post helps you when planning your next international hunt.
In response to a recent D.C. Circuit Court opinion, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has revised its procedure for assessing applications to import certain hunted species. We have withdrawn our countrywide enhancement findings for a range of species across several countries. In their place, the Service is making findings for trophy imports on an application-by-application basis. Click here for the memo.
Hunting Can Contribute to Biodiversity Conservation
Legal, well-regulated hunting as part of a sound management program can benefit the conservation of certain species by providing incentives to local communities to conserve the species and by putting much-needed revenue back into conservation. To support conservation, hunters should choose to hunt only in countries where hunting is well-regulated and there are strong compliance and enforcement measures, sound management practices, and healthy wildlife populations.
Why am I required to have a permit to import or export certain hunted animals?
Permits are required to authorize activities that are otherwise prohibited under U.S. laws. Import and export of hunted animals that are protected under U.S. laws may require issuance of permits. By complying with permit requirements, your personal import will help conserve protected animal species and support the local communities where you hunt, further promoting conservation of these species and their habitats by providing incentives for protection.
How can I export sport-hunted trophies taken in the United States?
Before you make plans to export a sport-hunted trophy taken in the United States, you should contact the foreign country of import, as well as our Office of Law Enforcement, which handles inspections and clearances at U.S. ports of exit. Please be aware that certain requirements may apply regardless of the conservation status of your species of interest.
You must obtain a permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prior to the export of your hunted animal if the species is protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). In addition, if the species is included in Appendix I of CITES, you will need to obtain a CITES import permit from the foreign country of import. Please be aware that if you conduct certain regulated activities, including export of a protected species, without the appropriate permits, you risk seizure of the specimens and a fine. If you are requesting to export trophies of species listed in Appendix I, II, or III of CITES and/or listed under the ESA, for your own personal use, you should complete application form 3-200-28.
How can I import sport-hunted trophies?
Before you make plans to import a sport-hunted trophy, it is important that you and your safari outfitter or guide understand the permitting, port inspection, and clearance requirements of both the United States and the foreign country in which you plan to hunt. Permits are required for the import of certain animal species. These permits provide a means to balance use and conservation of protected species. By complying with permit requirements, your personal import will help conserve protected animal species and support the local communities where you hunt, further promoting conservation of these species and their habitats by providing incentives for protection.
Generally, for import of sport-hunted trophies, you will need permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Division of Management Authority if the species you wish to import is protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) or Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). In addition, for import of any CITES-listed species, you will need to obtain a CITES export permit from the foreign country where you plan to hunt. Foreign countries may have additional exportation requirements, and so we encourage you and your hunting outfitter to contact them for guidance. Please be aware that if you conduct certain regulated activities without the appropriate permits, you risk seizure of the specimens and a fine.
Unsure about whether a permit is required?
Review our "Do I Need A Permit?" webpage if you are unsure whether the animal species that you are importing, exporting, or re-exporting is listed under CITES and/or the ESA.
For general information on CITES permit requirements, click here.
Some species listed under CITES and/or the ESA have very specific requirements. If you are unsure whether you need to apply for a permit, please contact us.
Our Customer Service Goals for Processing Permit Applications to Import Hunted Wildlife
Each permit application we receive is reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis. To better inform and serve the public and to further fulfill the Service’s conservation priorities under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), we are outlining Service goals for processing trophy import permit applications in a timely and transparent manner. We continue to make all permitting decisions in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Examples of Species to Be Imported
CITES:
The need for CITES
Widespread information about the endangered status of many prominent species, such as the tiger and elephants, might make the need for such a convention seem obvious. But at the time when the ideas for CITES were first formed, in the 1960s, international discussion of the regulation of wildlife trade for conservation purposes was something relatively new. With hindsight, the need for CITES is clear. Annually, international wildlife trade is estimated to be worth billions of dollars and to include hundreds of millions of plant and animal specimens. The trade is diverse, ranging from live animals and plants to a vast array of wildlife products derived from them, including food products, exotic leather goods, wooden musical instruments, timber, tourist curios and medicines. Levels of exploitation of some animal and plant species are high and the trade in them, together with other factors, such as habitat loss, is capable of heavily depleting their populations and even bringing some species close to extinction. Many wildlife species in trade are not endangered, but the existence of an agreement to ensure the sustainability of the trade is important in order to safeguard these resources for the future. Because the trade in wild animals and plants crosses borders between countries, the effort to regulate it requires international cooperation to safeguard certain species from over-exploitation. CITES was conceived in the spirit of such cooperation. Today, it accords varying degrees of protection to more than 40,000 species of animals and plants, whether they are traded as live specimens, fur coats or dried herbs.
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