New talk about Ivory restrictions on a national level

FACT SHEET: National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking & Commercial Ban on Trade in Elephant Ivory
Today the United States announced a National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking. The Strategy will strengthen U.S. leadership on addressing the serious and urgent conservation and global security threat posed by illegal trade in wildlife.

In addition to the strategy, we are also announcing a ban on commercial trade of elephant ivory, which will enhance our efforts to protect iconic species like elephants and rhinos by prohibiting the import, export, or resale within the United States of elephant ivory except in a very limited number of circumstances.

Taken together, these actions will help ensure that the United States is not contributing to poaching of elephants and illegal trade in elephant ivory.

THE STRATEGY

The National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking establishes guiding principles for U.S. efforts to stem illegal trade in wildlife. It sets three strategic priorities: strengthening domestic and global enforcement; reducing demand for illegally traded wildlife at home and abroad; and strengthening partnerships with international partners, local communities, NGOs, private industry, and others to combat illegal wildlife poaching and trade.

THE IVORY BAN

Today we are also announcing a ban on the commercial trade of elephant ivory, which will enhance our ability to protect elephants by prohibiting commercial imports, exports and domestic sale of ivory, with a very limited number of exceptions. This ban is the best way to help ensure that U.S. markets do not contribute to the further decline of African elephants in the wild.

To begin implementing these new controls, federal Departments and Agencies will immediately undertake administrative actions to:

• Prohibit Commercial Import of African Elephant Ivory: All commercial imports of African elephant ivory, including antiques, will be prohibited.
• Prohibit Commercial Export of Elephant Ivory: All commercial exports will be prohibited, except for bona fide antiques, certain noncommercial items, and in exceptional circumstances permitted under the Endangered Species Act.
• Significantly Restrict Domestic Resale of Elephant Ivory: We will finalize a proposed rule that will reaffirm and clarify that sales across state lines are prohibited, except for bona fide antiques, and will prohibit sales within a state unless the seller can demonstrate an item was lawfully imported prior to 1990 for African elephants and 1975 for Asian elephants, or under an exemption document.
• Clarify the Definition of “Antique”: To qualify as an antique, an item must be more than 100 years old and meet other requirements under the Endangered Species Act. The onus will now fall on the importer, exporter, or seller to demonstrate that an item meets these criteria.
• Restore Endangered Species Act Protection for African Elephants: We will revoke a previous Fish and Wildlife Service special rule that had relaxed Endangered Species Act restrictions on African elephant ivory trade.
• Support Limited Sport-hunting of African Elephants: We will limit the number of African elephant sport-hunted trophies that an individual can import to two per hunter per year.

The United States will continue to lead global efforts to protect the world’s iconic animals and preserve our planet’s natural beauty for future generations. Combating wildlife trafficking will require the shared understanding, commitment, and efforts of the world’s governments, intergovernmental organizations, NGOs, corporations, civil society, and individuals. At this week’s London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade, we hope other countries will join us in taking ambitious action to combat wildlife trafficking. In the coming months, we will take further steps to implement the National Strategy, and will work with the Congress to strengthen existing laws and adopt new ones to enhance our ability to address this global challenge.



http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press...y-combating-wildlife-trafficking-commercial-b

 

Finally, a long overdue policy. For the record, I won't touch ivory, even pre-ban, no matter the offer.

Here is some information on Ivory Trade and Elephant Poaching
http://www.elephantvoices.org/threats-to-elephants/ivory-trade-fact-sheets-2013

1. In 1979 there were an estimated 1.3 million African elephants. By 1989 only 600,000 remained. In 2010, the
total had dropped to an estimated 470,000 according to IUCN’s African Elephant Specialist Group. Today,
fewer than 400,000 remain; some authorities estimate the number to be considerably lower.
2. The loss of nearly a million elephants in a decade was due primarily to illegal killing for ivory in the context of
an international trade. Habitat loss is a second important factor: since 1970 human population has nearly
tripled in elephant range states.
3. Major public awareness campaigns

 

Like you, I don’t want to see any species of animal or even plants like trees being destroyed. I do LOVE natural materials for knife handles. From the finest woods to
horn, bone, and tooth and tusks. No one loves ivory more than I do, BUT....

The poaching has gotten out of hand in Africa. Why???, not because American and European knifemakers make some knives with ivory handles, and not because Steinway sells a lot of nice pianos....but because the Chinese nouveau riche want ivory to prove they are wealthy. They will pay any price, no matter how ridiculous, and don't care about elephants in Africa. There are dozens of customers in China for every single piece of ivory available for sale. Antique Chinese ivory art work in the USA and Europe is often purchased legally here, and smuggled back into China where it brings ten times the US value.

A U.S. ban on ivory does nothing to stop the poaching in Africa that is driven by African trade with other unscrupulous countries.

All this will do is punish those that are doing things legally. Pretty much just like any other government ban on anything else. The good people follow the rules while the bad continue to do whatever they want.
It's pure laziness and putting on a front on the governments' part. They 'appear' to be doing something so they get some praise about 'doing the right thing' while in reality, a blanket ban is the best way to ignore a problem. Again like anything else, what it takes is dedication, commitment and funding to stop the poaching directly. This ban will not save a single elephant or any other animal's life.

And to further their self righteous 'look at me, I'm doing something to save elephants' attitude, they crushed 6 tons of ivory proving what? Did crushing that ivory save any animal's life? How about using that ivory for art, carving, knife handles.....anything besides destroying it. How about maybe selling that 6 tons of ivory and using the proceeds to catch and punish the poachers in Africa and punish the countries responsible for driving the trade?
Or maybe all of the above is just WAY too much common sense for government.

Why not make all diamonds illegal to buy and sell because of blood diamonds coming out of Africa. Or are human lives less valuable than elephants?

Imagine what the world would be like if there could be bans on everything that was not politically correct.

How about we ban the goods in the big box stores that are produced in countries which allow starvation wages, inhumane living conditions, disease and loss of human life? Again, are human beings less important than elephants? And you all know that there are a huge number of goods produced by people who are not paid or treated with even a trace of human decency. Sweat shops, child labor, etc. These things exist and we know it. Yet those products are displayed in the box stores and online merchants for cheap and people buy them every day. A human rights violation in every box! Where are our priorities?

Yes, no one wants elephants to die. On that we can all agree.
At the same time, common sense should prevail.
All-or-nothing government imposed solutions are not the answer.

We have not even discussed the ramifications and cost to enforce such a ban.
If you think the court systems are clogged now . . . . . .

Just think about it, then do something about it.
Whether you use ivory or not, you will be effected.

Be sensible and keep our priorities straight.

 

I agree HHH. Same as shark fin soup and rhinoceros horn as supposed aphrodisiacs. The Asian culture seems to be the most ambivalent to the endangered species plight, I doubt that the US, Canada, and Mexico barely put a dent in the ivory market combined. This is a pointless law that's main purpose is to gain favor for some pundits so that can say that they fought for animal rights in the hope of gaining a few votes. Just my unbiased opinion of course. o_O

 

Nice reply to the situation Randy. .
Of course the truth matters little. ..

I bought very few Ivory slabs through the 30+ years of making. Most I bought in the first few years. .
I have one set left. I guess I better use it quickly. ..
And sell it even quicker.

 

It's a knee-jerk reaction that will have little effect on the decimation of the elephant population. Where there is money to be made someone is willing to risk as anything and everything to make it. Cut off the head and 2 grow back.

 

I hope this doesnt affect mammoth, hippo and walrus...i dont use elephant but love the others

 

It should have absolutely no effect on Mammoth as they have been gone a long, long time...

Although I heard Jim had a pet Mammoth as a boy...

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You guys didn't know Jim was Asian, did you?

The others of course will be decided by the lowest common denominator of Humans..the Politicians..

 

LMAO!

 

On one of the gun forums I am on, they are looking at restricting Interstate sales of Ivory, too.