Ohio’s junior senator Rob Portman is spearheading a bipartisan federal legislative effort to help deal with the illegal international trade in wildlife – a subject the Ohio Division of Wildlife says it also has on its radar.
Republican Portman is joining with Democrat Delaware Senator Chris Coons to hammer out the “Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt (END) Wildlife Trafficking Reauthorization and Improvements Act of 2020.”
This updated act would make permanent the authorizaton of legislation that was signed into law in 2016. And END would also expand on this matter.
The END Wildlife Trafficking Reauthorization and Improvements Act of 2020 is supported by various non-governmental agencies and bodies. Among them are the African Wildlife Foundation, World Wildlife Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Portman and Coons say that the illegal trafficking trade is a major threat to the conservation of threatened species” and likewise has been linked to other transnational organized criminal activities, including trafficking in narcotics, weapons, and people.
This trade – which excludes domesticated animals and instead ifocuses on wildlife, including the pangolin sold in China’s so-called wet markets which are believed to have contributed to the rise of the COVID-19 virus – is said to be worth between $7 billion and $23 billion annually by the World Economic Forum.
(The) illegal wildlife trafficking is the fourth most lucrative global crime after drugs, humans and arms,” the Forum recently said.
Adding, the World Bank says “For all practical purposes, combating illegal logging, fishing, and wildlife trade is a governance issue that first and foremost requires high-level political commitment at the national and international levels.”
To that end, says Portman, the Senate’s Republicans and Democrats are working across the aisle to stem the illegal trade in wildlife.
Since passing in 2016, the END Wildlife Trafficking Act has aided in the arrest of members of wildlife trafficking networks and supported inter-agency efforts to combat the practice globally through country-specific and regional initiatives, Portman says
However, says Portman also, “certain provisions of the law are set to expire in 2021.”
“END will permanently authorizes the duties of the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking and related reports on major wildlife trafficking countries, and creates new focus areas, such as the role of online platforms in facilitating trafficking activities,” Portman says.
To which Coon heartedly agrees.
“Wildlife trafficking is not just a critical conservation issue but one that threatens the security of the United States and our international partners,” Coon says.
“The Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking has done outstanding work, but the threat of wildlife poaching and trafficking is constantly evolving. It is vital that the work of the Task Force continues without disruption.”
And although Ohio may not at first blush appear to be a major focal point of the illegeally, international trade in wildlife and wildlife parts, it is by no means immune from being a conduit to such trafficking, says Ken Fitz, law enforcement administrator for the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
“We work commercialization of wild animals all the time, and in the past we have assisted other agencies with investigations, both at the federal and state level, and they have assisted us.”” Fitz says.
Frequently, says Fitz such trafficking may consist of such “home-grown” items as meat - venison in particular - and also sport-caught fish.
In addition, Fitz says the Wildlife Division sees a lot of animals for sale as pets, especially reptiles, and very frequently being sold on-line.
All are part and integrally associated with the global problem of trafficking in wildlife
“In fact we are in the process of wrapping up an investigation dealing with the illegal collection and sale of turtles by one individual, that knew what they were doing was illegal,” Fitz said.
“We count on tips from the public, via calls or texts to the 1-800-POACHER line, or emailed links to online violations. Of course the public is always encouraged to contact officers directly as well.”
- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net
JFrischk4@gmail.com
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