World Status, Exploitation and Trade - WIDECAST

TheMEXICOalmost certainly mostly Lepidochelys olivaceaitems were exports to the USA.see below) ; all remainingTable 146. Exports from Mexico to USA of items classified as Eretmochelysrecorded in CITES statistics, 1978-85 (excluding leather and eggs)."Bodies" includes shells, skulls and trophies; "Items" are virtually allcarvings and unspecified.Year 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985BodiesItems654735924438352441126By far the most important exports from Mexico recorded in CITES statisticsare skin or leather items. The great majority of these are to Italy and arerecorded either as re-exports from Italy (with origin Mexico) of workeditems or as imports to Italy (reported by Italy) of skins from Mexico.Although such skins are recorded under "Cheloni idae"," Chelonia mydas " or" Eretmochelys imbricata " it seems very likely that a high proportion were infact Lepidochelys olivacea . skins of this taxon are generallypreferred, being considered of higher quality (Cliff ton et al. , 1981).Italy, however, took out a CITES reservation on C. mydas (31 December 1979,withdrawn 1 January 1984) but not on Lepidochelys . thus to admit export ofthe latter would be to admit contravention of CITES regulations. Marquez( in litt ) stated that nearly all the skins and items in reported trade (seeTable 147) are derived from L. olivacea .Table 147. Leather items and skins classified as C. mydas or Eretmochelysimported by Italy from Mexico or exported by Italy with origin Mexicorecorded in annual reports to CITES, 1978-85. M&rquez ( in litt ) statedthat virtually all so-called " C. mydas " products below were actually derivedfrom Lepidochelys olivacea .1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985C. mydas