United States Disappointed Protections for Sharks

Assistant Secretary of the Interior Tom Strickland today said he was disappointed that the parties to the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) did not vote to protect shark species that have been depleted by overharvest but expressed hope that a foundation has been laid to protect the species in the future.

uscites.gov

New General CRP Signup Good for Ducks, Duck hunters  

Bismarck, N.D.–The announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will offer a general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup later in 2010 is good news for ducks and duck hunters, according to Delta Waterfowl Senior Vice President John Devne…

Service Enforcement Officers Foil Artifact Trafficker

An Illinois man was sentenced to pay $150,326 in restitution to the Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge in southern Illinois after admitting that he excavated more than 13,000 artifacts from a Native American archaeological site on the refuge so he could sell them and live off his profits.

Archaeological Resources Protection Act

Secretary Salazar Moves to Ban Importation and Interstate Transfer of Burmese Python and Eight Other Giant Invasive Snakes

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will propose to list the Burmese python and eight other large constrictor snakes that threaten the Everglades and other sensitive ecosystems as “injurious wildlife” under the Lacey Act. More than 1,200 of the snakes have been removed from Everglades National Park since 2000, where they threaten many imperiled species and other wildlife.

ALUS in Alberta – Good News for American Duck Hunters – ‘Farmers Conservation Plan’ Launches on Breeding Grounds

Today’s launch of the first Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) pilot program in Alberta—a prime duck-producing province—is great news for U.S. hunters. Designed by Delta Waterfowl and backed by several Canadian farm groups, ALUS compensates agr…

Two Service Biologists Lost in Oregon Plane Crash

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service pilot-biologist Vernon Ray (Ray) Bentley, 52, and David Sherwood (Dave) Pitkin, 49, were killed when their plane crashed January 18th near Corvallis, Oregon. The two pilots were participating in the Mid-winter Inventory of waterfowl along the Oregon coast and were returning to Corvallis when the crash occurred. Every winter, select teams of Service pilot-biologists and observers take to the skies to survey North America’s waterfowl during January in one of the oldest wildlife surveys, dating back to the 1930s.

Coral Smuggler to Pay More than $35,000 in Penalties

A German national who runs a coral export business out of that country has been ordered to pay more than $35,000 in criminal fines, restitution, and community service payments after pleading guilty to smuggling over 40 tons of coral into the United States from the Phillippines. The Philippines bans any export of its coral resources; coral trade is also regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

Ginseng Dealer Sentenced to Prison Term, Fine

A North Carolina man who illegally sold and transported American wild ginseng in violation of State law and the Federal Lacey Act will spend one year in Federal prison and pay a $50,000 fine. A Service undercover agent documented this trafficking during a three-year investigation focused on the illegal take and interstate sale of ginseng and bear parts in the southern Appalachian region.

House of Commons Votes to Repeal Long-gun Registry

A private member’s bill to repeal the federal long-gun registry passed its first hurdle Wednesday as the House of Commons voted to scrap the controversial measure that requires Canadian citizens to register all firearms—including shotguns and rifle…

Salazar Hosts Forum on Renewable Energy, Job Creation, and Climate Impact and Adaptation

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar hosted a Clean Energy Economy Forum earlier this week with stakeholders from 39 states across the country at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Sam D. Hamilton joined Deputy Secretary David Hayes and other top Department of the Interior officials in discussing the importance of renewable energy and job creation, climate impact and adaptation, and efforts to support and maintain the treasured landscapes of America in the emerging clean energy economy .

Video (The White House)

Climate Change Webpage

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Brings Together Latin Conservationists

This week in Montelimar, Nicaragua, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Fauna & Flora International are jointly conducting a precedent-setting workshop aimed at developing a cadre of conservation professionals in Latin America.

U.S. Hunter Found Guilty of Smuggling Leopard Trophy

A Federal jury has convicted a South Dakota man on smuggling and wildlife charges in a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service case that exposed illegal hunting in South Africa and the "laundering" of smuggled leopard trophies through Zimbabwe and then on to the United States. The investigation previously secured guilty pleas from two South African outfitters, a Denver taxidermist, and four other U.S. hunters.

Case Summary

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