Press Release

11 October 2005

Paice Proposes Law Change To Protect Endangered Birds

South East Cambridgeshire MP and Shadow Minister for Agriculture Jim Paice is attempting to strengthen the protection of endangered birds by tabling a new clause to the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill which would ban the importation of wild-caught bird species that are threatened with, or likely to become threatened with, extinction. 

In a move supported by the RSPCA and RSPB, the importation of threatened species would be prohibited unless the Secretary of State was satisfied that strict biodiversity criteria had been met. 

Jim said: “The importation of exotic species that are considered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to be either threatened with extinction or likely to become so must be prohibited if we are to ensure the survival of many species of parrots and other endangered birds. UK imports of CITES-listed birds has almost trebled since 2001 despite growing scientific evidence that trade in some species harms their population. Even those which are not in immediate danger need better protection as continued trafficking could affect their survival as a species.”

“Many birds imported into the UK are endangered and the experience in America – where the importation of CITES-listed birds was banned in 1992 - shows that by banning legal imports of these species you stop the illegal trade as well.”