USDA Releases Hold on Selected Bigleaf Mahogany From Brazil
USDA RELEASES HOLD ON SELECTED BIGLEAF MAHOGANY FROM BRAZIL USDA Continues to Investigate Legal Status of Additional Shipments WASHINGTON, June 20, 2002--The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service today announced that five shipments of bigleaf mahogany veneers from Brazil, that were being held at U.S. ports, will be allowed into the United States. APHIS will continue to hold 20 additional shipments of bigleaf mahogany pending a determination by Brazil of the legality of their harvesting. The decision to release the five shipments was based on information provided by the government of Brazil indicating that the wood exported by these companies did not exceed their legally approved quotas for mahogany. The U.S. government has made numerous attempts over the past several months to obtain a clear determination from the Brazilian government as to the legality of the mahogany in the remaining 20 shipments still being held at U.S. Ports. At this time, adequate information has not been provided to release these shipments. High-level discussions between Brazil and the United States regarding the legality of the 20 shipments of mahogany from Brazil that remain on hold at U.S. Ports will continue. Bigleaf mahogany is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES is an international convention which protects many species of animals and plants to ensure that commercial demand does not threaten their survival in the wild. Six Latin American countries have listed their populations of bigleaf mahogany in CITES in Appendix III. Under the requirements of Appendix III, these countries must determine that the mahogany was legally acquired in order to issue an export permit. As a member of the CITES convention, Brazil must provide export permits for all mahogany shipments. APHIS had been holding Brazilian mahogany at U.S. ports since February 8, pending a determination by Brazilian authorities that the export permits accompanying the shipments were valid and the wood was legally acquired. As the U.S. management authority for CITES, the U.S. Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for implementing all aspects of CITES within the United States. FWS enforces CITES regulations for CITES listed species and their parts and products being transported into or out of the United States. FWS ensures that importers and exporters have the proper permits for transporting and trading CITES listed species. APHIS is responsible for enforcing the provisions of CITES related to plants and works closely with FWS. # Note to Reporters: USDA news releases, program announcements and media advisories are available on the Internet. Access the APHIS home page by pointing your Web browser to http://www.aphis.usda.gov and clicking on APHIS Press Releases. |
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