Adaptive management

Adaptive management

We have seen that as the level of trade increases in species with high vulnerability, the complexity of a non-detriment finding increases accordingly. It follows that the implementation of an adaptive management scheme based on regular monitoring is an important consideration in the NDF evaluation process.

Adaptive management may be defined as a structured, iterative process of optimal decision making in the face of uncertainty, with an aim to reducing uncertainty over time via system monitoring. It deliberately uses management actions as a source of learning with the intent to inform subsequent management policy or actions. Such an approach acknowledges uncertainty and deals with it directly. This requires people to accept the premise that ecosystems (including human socioeconomic systems) are constantly changing but regulations and perceptions very often remain fixed, as if systems were stable.

Under the Convention, failure to institute effective risk assessments and adaptative management schemes in support of non-detriment findings may lead to a process called Significant Trade Review (see also Resolution Conf. 12.8 (Rev. CoP13).

A Significant Trade Review refers to the review of the biological, trade and other relevant information on Appendix-II species subject to levels of trade that are significant in relation to the population of the species, in order to identify problems concerning the implementation of Article IV, paragraphs 2 (a), 3 and 6 (a) of the Convention, and possible solutions.

The species subject to the Review of Significant Trade are selected by the Animals and Plants Committees. Non-compliance by any State with the solutions recommended by these Committees may ultimately lead to a recommendation by the Standing Committee to suspend trade with that State in specimens of the species concerned.

Rollover the graph to see a brief explanation on the relationship between the level of trade, vulnerability of the species and non-detriment findings.