Washington DC, USA, 3rd June 2016—new regulations on the domestic trade in ivory were yesterday finalized by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The regulations add prohibitions to certain elements of the commercial ivory trade to implement a “near total ban” on domestic ivory trade. 

 
There will be some limited exceptions, e.g. for musical instruments meeting strict criteria¹, but all commercial exports and sales of ivory between US States will only be allowed for proven antiques more than 100 years old and even within States, sales will only be allowed that can be proven by the seller to pre-date the ban on ivory trade under CITES that came into force in 1990. Already, regulations are in place that prevent commercial imports of ivory and trade in raw ivory. 

 

CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an agreement between more than 180 countries, which has strict laws governing the import and export of ivory. 

 

The measures aim to tighten up the current US domestic legislation which was regarded as unenforceable on domestic sales of ivory products because little can be done without direct evidence of illegal importation. 

 

The latest move is symbolic of the US Government’s resolve to prevent the ongoing poaching of elephants and other iconic animals and address international wildlife crime. 

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