among other things: scheduled a fur seal program review 

 early in 1987; initiated efforts to develop a fur seal 

 conservation plan; established permanent regulations govern- 

 ing the subsistence harvest of fur seals; and taken steps to 

 designate the Pribilof Island fur seal population as depleted 

 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. As further work on 

 these and other related matters proceed in 1987, the Commis- 

 sion will continue to work with the Service and others to 

 strengthen efforts to identify and eliminate or mitigate the 

 cause or causes of the ongoing Pribilof Islands fur seal 

 population decline. 



Convention on International Trade 

 in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) 



The United States is party to the Convention on 

 International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and 

 Flora. The Convention is designed to control trade in animal 

 and plant species that are or may become threatened with 

 extinction. The extent of trade control depends upon the 

 extent to which the species is endangered, as reflected by 

 inclusion on one of three appendices to the Convention. 



Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction 

 that are or may be affected by trade. Appendix II includes 

 species that, although not necessarily currently threatened 

 with extinction, may become so unless trade in them is 

 strictly controlled. Appendix II also includes non- 

 endangered species that must be regulated so that trade in 

 "look-alike" species that are threatened with extinction may 

 be brought under effective control. Appendix III includes 

 species that any Party identifies as being subject to 

 regulation within its jurisdiction for the purpose of 

 preventing or restricting exportation and for which the Party 

 needs the cooperation of others Parties in controlling trade. 

 Changes in the species listed in the apfjendices can be made 

 by agreement of the Parties and, in the ca.s*; of Appendix III, 

 by individual Parties. 



Overall responsibility for coordinating the development 

 of U.S. positions and implementation of the provisions of the 

 Convention is vested in the Fish and Wildlife Service. As 

 appropriate, the Service consults with the Commission and 

 others to address matters concerning the Convention. 



The Fish and Wildlife Service is presently engaged in 

 preparing the U.S. positions for the biennial meeting of 

 Convention Parties to be held 12-24 July 1987 in Ottawa, 

 Canada. By the end of 1986, no proposals concerning marine 

 mammals had been published. On 4 December 1986, the National 

 Marine Fisheries Service recommended that the northern 



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