Red and Pink Coral to Be Proposed for International Protection

United States and European Union to Seek Trade Protection for Imperiled
Species.

LONDON, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SeaWeb's Too Precious to Wear
campaign hailed today's announcement that the United States and the European
Union will seek international trade protection for red and pink coral. "This
decision is a major step toward safeguarding the future of these species and
the livelihoods that depend on them," said Dawn M. Martin, president of
SeaWeb. The European Commission indicated that EU Member States were in favor
of a request from the United States to co-sponsor a proposal to list red and
pink coral under Appendix II at the next Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species (CITES) Conference of Parties, to be held in March 2010.

Scientists, conservationists and jewelers applauded the leadership of the
United States and the EU, claiming that protection for red and pink coral is
long overdue, and urged other CITES member countries to support the proposal.
The decision comes after a workshop on red and pink coral was held in Naples,
Italy in September. EU Member States had decided that they would consider the
U.S. request after the workshop concluded. Red and pink corals, also known as
Corallium, are among the world's most valuable wildlife commodities. They are
widely traded and highly valued in the jewelry and home decor industries, with
a finished necklace retailing for up to tens of thousands of dollars. The
species were considered for Appendix II protection in 2007. At the last
Conference of Parties, the proposal passed the initial committee vote, but was
overturned in the final plenary vote, due to implementation concerns, which
were discussed at the recent Naples workshop.

"The EU's decision to support international trade protection for red and pink
coral will help ensure the proposal is met with success at the next CITES
meeting," said Dr. Andy Bruckner of the Living Oceans Foundation. "Years of
mismanagement and overfishing have put these species at great risk. A CITES
Appendix II listing for Corallium will go a long way toward ensuring
sustainable management of this species. It is now imperative that other
countries support the U.S. and EU proposal."

The United States and the EU have placed significant pressure on these
animals, with the U.S. importing more than 26 million pieces from 2001 to
2006. More than 2,000 species of coral are currently afforded CITES
protection, including precious black coral, also used for jewelry. The global
black coral trade is estimated at five metric tons, compared to 30-50 tons for
Corallium.

An Appendix II listing for red and pink coral would not prohibit trade, but
would ensure international trade in these long-lived, slow-growing species is
carefully monitored via a system of export permits, which will help to reduce
trade in illegally fished coral. Countries wishing to export red and pink
coral would be required to issue a scientific finding that proves trade is not
detrimental to the survival of these species. Yet a CITES listing is not a
panacea. Strong local and regional management in the Mediterranean and the
Pacific is needed to secure the future of these species and the rich
traditions and livelihoods that depend on them.

Some jewelry and home decor companies have already taken steps to ensure they
are not contributing to corals' decline. Tiffany & Co. removed coral from its
product lines more than six years ago due to sustainability concerns, and
actively encourages others in the jewelry industry to adopt a similar policy.
Other companies that refuse to use real coral include Pottery Barn, Leber
Jeweler, Michael Aram, Lilly Pulitzer, fashion designers Lela Rose and Vena
Cava, and jewelers Monique Pean and Melissa Joy Manning.

"This action is yet another sign that the jewelry and home décor industries
increasingly recognize that beautiful products don't have to come at the cost
of one of the ocean's most inspiring animals," said Martin. "Thanks to the
creativity of these designers and companies, consumers can choose from a
variety of coral-inspired items, allowing coral populations to recover."

The EU and U.S. proposal will be considered at the next CITES Conference of
Parties meeting, to be held March 13-25, 2010 in Qatar. A two-thirds majority
vote from CITES member countries is needed for red and pink coral to be
successfully listed under Appendix II.

Too Precious to Wear is a SeaWeb campaign to create a demand for coral
conservation. Too Precious to Wear is made possible with support from The
Tiffany & Co. Foundation, Kingfisher Foundation and The Ocean Foundation.
www.tooprecioustowear.org.

SeaWeb, founded in 1996 to raise awareness of the growing threats to the ocean
and its living resources, is a communications-based nonprofit organization
that utilizes social marketing techniques to advance ocean conservation.
www.seaweb.org

SOURCE SeaWeb

Jackie Marks (U.S.), +1-301-495-9570, jmarks@seaweb.org, Cindy Yeast (U.S.),
+1-301-328-0028, or Julia Roberson (UK) +44-77-0454-8392,
jroberson@seaweb.org, all of SeaWeb