The Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that the Advisory Council on Wildlife Trafficking will hold a public meeting Jan. 17in Washington, D.C. The agenda for this meeting will include implementation of the National Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking and priority areas for advice. Members of the public who want to participate in the meeting or submit relevant information or questions for the Council to consider during the meeting must notify FWS no later than Jan. 13.
The national strategy establishes three priorities: strengthening domestic and global enforcement, reducing demand for illegally traded wildlife, and strengthening partnerships with international partners, local communities, non-governmental organizations, private industry, and others. Strengthening enforcement will include efforts to toughen U.S. laws and import/export regulations prohibiting wildlife trafficking. Reducing demand for illegally traded wildlife will require that the U.S. work at home and abroad to raise public awareness of wildlife trafficking and its negative impacts on species, the environment, security, food supplies, the economy, and human health. The U.S. will also work to encourage partners to treat wildlife trafficking as a serious crime and strengthen the implementation of international agreements and arrangements that protect wildlife.
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