CITES member defends shark finning

Hi all,

In an interview published in The Times yesterday, and on his blog, journalist Frank Pope has unearthed some information that creates serious questions about CITES lack of impartiality.

I have posted about this on the Wetpixel front page too.

In a nutshell, it would seem that Dr. Giam Choo Hoo, a veterinarian from Singapore, has used his position within the CITES animal committee to influence the decisions of the committee when they are discussing issues that effect his commercial interests (in this case the sale of shark fin).

This has been allowed to happen as there seems to be a complete lack of oversight of CITES committee members commercial interests even when those interests are in direct conflict with the conservation issues being discussed.

I have written to CITES requesting a formal statement about the issue, and will keep everyone posted. I think this is an issue that we should really make some noise about!

Adam

The full transcript of Frank Pope's interview with Dr Giam Choo Hoo has been published:

Frank Pope's blog

He is a master of the circular argument!

Adam

That Giam is smart. He won't incriminate himself or slip up.

There is a petition on change.org asking for the removal of Giam Choo Hoo from CITES:

http://www.change.org/petitions/cites-remo...-hoo-from-cites

-Gina

Done. Thanks Gina.

It is incredible to me, that these regulatory or advisory agencies have no conflict of interest requirements automatically.

With the hawaiian super ferry fiasco, that was going to cause further invasive species problems on all the islands, and likely kill humback whales, the super ferry guys just turned several members of the humback whale sanctuary advisory group, into HIGHLY paid consultants, who would go to every meeting and tell how great and harmless the super ferry was going to be!

It was sickening to watch. Fortunately, the superferry fractured the hull and rudder mounts, in real wide open oceans, and made everyone sick, who road on the first trials, and they were forced to give it up.