DEPARTMENT FOR
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (40/09) issued by
COI News Distribution Service. 25 February 2009
Birds of prey and
a near-extinct shellfish are among the animals earmarked top
priorities in a strengthened fight against wildlife crime in the
coming year.
The freshwater pearl mussel, once widespread throughout Europe,
is now extremely rare and outside of Britain and Ireland is found
in less than 50 rivers worldwide, while and birds of prey such as
hen harriers are under threat from nest destruction and deliberate killing.
Wildlife Minister Huw Irranca-Davies today set out the
government's wildlife crime priorities for 2009-2010,
including poaching, crimes against bats and the illegal trade in
endangered species, and urged people to help combat the criminals.
Police and customs officers will work with the National Wildlife
Crime Unit, conservationists, countryside groups, wildlife traders
and owners to focus on the new priorities, which are based on the
numbers of crimes or the effect crime is having on the future of a species.
Action will include stronger, coordinated responses to wildlife
crime, specialist training for enforcement officers, raising
awareness of wildlife crime and encouraging people to report
crimes, and intelligence to identify, detect and prosecute the
criminals involved.
Huw Irranca-Davies said:
"People and communities can
help us in the fight against wildlife crime. Nobody can afford to
sit on the fence and let these crimes go unpunished.
"Wildlife crime matters, it has an impact on our environment
and on the ecosystems, habitats and wildlife that supports our
very existence. Information and intelligence are going to be key
in this fight, we need to tackle these crimes through effective partnerships."
Detective Inspector Brian Stuart, Head of the UK National
Wildlife Crime Unit, said:
"The UK police and customs officers are committed to
tackling wildlife crime, and these priorities will ensure they
have the right training and intelligence to help prevent and
prosecute these serious crimes.
"Only through the co-operation of everyone interested in
preventing wildlife crime have we been able to identify the best
ways to tackle these crimes that affect our shores."
Speaking at the annual Partnership for Action Against Wildlife
Crime (PAW) conference in London today, Mr Irranca-Davies also
announced that Britain is taking over the chairmanship of the
Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT) this summer,
building on its establishment by the USA.
The Minister also presented the Conventions and Policy Section at
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew with the PAW partner of the year
award for their work on tackling wildlife crime.
For more information go to http://www.defra.gov.uk/paw/
Notes to Editors
The Partnership for Action Against Wildlife
Crime (PAW) is a multi-agency body comprising representatives of
the organisations involved in wildlife law enforcement in the UK.
It provides opportunities for statutory and non-Government
organisations to work together to combat wildlife crime. Its main
objective is to promote the enforcement of wildlife conservation
legislation, particularly through supporting the networks of
Police Wildlife Crime Officers and officers from HM Revenue and
Customs and UK Border Agency.
CAWT's aim is to raise the profile of wildlife trafficking
with governments and law enforcement authorities across the world.
It is currently made up of the UK, USA, Australia, India, Canada,
and Chile, as well as twelve global business and conservation
partners, including the International Fund for Animal Welfare
(IFAW), the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC), the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and World
Wildlife Fund (WWF). Further details can be found at http://www.cawtglobal.org/cawt/public/
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has been a member of PAW since its
launch in 1995, and their Conventions and Policy Section has
played an important role in assisting enforcement agencies in
regulating the illegal trade of wildlife by providing expert
advice and identification skills, and in training and advising
police and customs officers on plants and their derivatives in
trade. . RBG Kew acted as an expert witness in a court case of a
trader involved in the smuggling of some of the world's
rarest orchids. This resulted in a four month custodial sentence,
and in July 2007 a further hearing ordered the offender to pay
£110,000 (the proceeds of his trade) and £15,000 in costs
(including research).
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