2012. Review of Significant Trade - Cites

Tursiops aduncus
Islands. According to data in the CITES Trade Database submitted by trading partners,
direct trade in T. aduncus 2000-2010 comprised 61 live, wild-sourced animals, with 33
imported in 2003 by Mexico and 28 imported in 2007 by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Solomon Islands Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (in litt. to CITES
Secretariat, 2009) confirmed that the export of 74 live specimens of T. aduncus had taken
place (Table 1). Twenty eight live specimens were exported to Mexico in 2003, 28 were
exported to UAE in 2007, seven were exported to the Philippines in 2008, and a further 11
were exported to the Philippines in 2009 (Solomon Islands Ministry of Fisheries and Marine
Resources, in litt. to CITES Secretariat, 2009). A further 18 specimens were expected to be
exported to the Philippines later in that year (Solomon Islands Ministry of Fisheries and
Marine Resources, in litt. to CITES Secretariat, 2009).
Trade records of the Environment and Conservation Division (Ministry of Environment,
Conservation and Meteorology; Horokou, in litt. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011) (Table 1) are
identical to those of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources for exports occurring in
2003 and 2007 outlined above; however reported trade differed for the years 2008 and 2009.
Additional trade was reported for 2011.
Table 1. Exports of T. aduncus from the Solomon Islands 2003-2011 as reported by Ministry of
Environment, Conservation and Meteorology (Horokou, in litt. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011) and the
Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.
Year
Number animals
(Ministry of
Environment,
Conservation and
Meteorology, 2011)
Destination
Number animals
(Ministry of Fisheries and
Marine Resources, 2009)
Destination
2003 28 Mexico 28 Mexico
2007 28 Dubai 28 UAE
2008 18 Singapore 7 Philippines
2009 9 Malaysia 11 (+18 expected to be Philippines
exported later in the year)
2011 25 China
The CITES Trade Database holds no records of the trade in T. aduncus to the Philippines,
however, neither the Philippines nor the Solomon Islands have provided an annual report
for 2008. The Philippines annual report for 2009 does not include any record of imports of
T. aduncus. Annual reports for Singapore in 2008 and Malaysia in 2009 do not contain
records for any imports of live wild specimens from the Solomon Islands.
Indirect trade in T. aduncus originating in the Solomon Islands over the period 2000-2010
consisted of 23 live, wild-sourced animals re-exported by Mexico to the Netherlands Antilles
in 2006 for the purpose of a circus or travelling exhibition (purpose ‘Q’). In addition, wildsourced
scientific specimens were re-exported.
There have been no export quotas for T. aduncus published on the CITES website. However,
in its letter to the CITES Secretariat on 22 October 2009, the CITES Management Authority of
the Solomon Islands indicated the establishment of an export quota of 100 dolphins (all
species), which would be subject to review as new information became available
(Horokou, in litt. to CITES Secretariat, 2009). The quota of 100 dolphins (all species) was
reported to be based on advice from the Scientific Authority (Solomon Islands Ministry of
Fisheries and Marine Resources in litt. to CITES Secretariat, 2009), although no further
details of the scientific basis were provided. According to the Solomon Islands Ministry of
Fisheries and Marine Resources (in litt. to CITES Secretariat, 2009), annual removal of
100 specimens would represent 0.7-0.84 per cent of the population estimate of 12 000-15 000.
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