The 20th meeting of the Animals Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) convened from 29 March to 2 April 2004, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Some 150 participants representing governments, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations met to discuss a range of topics, including: review of significant trade in specimens of Appendix II species (RST); review of criteria for amendment of Appendices I and II; periodic review of animal and plant taxa in the Appendices; transport of live animals; budget; trade in hard corals; trade in alien species; sea cucumbers; seahorses; and sharks. In addition, ten working groups were convened to address the: RST; relationship between ex situ production and in situ conservation; process for registering operations that breed Appendix I animal species for commercial purposes; transport of live animals; trade in hard corals; control of captive breeding, ranching and wild harvest production systems; improving regional communication and representation; sea cucumbers; and sharks. A drafting group was also set up to review the criteria for amendment of Appendices I and II.
Issues of considerable importance included the review of criteria of listings in the Appendices, the RST and a range of marine-related issues, such as sharks, sea cucumbers, hard corals, seahorses, and tortoises and freshwater turtles. Delegates also addressed a number of procedural issues, including ways to improve regional communication and representation in view of budget constraints and lack of government support. Technical discussions on the RST and the review of criteria were largely successful and are expected to be well received at CITES COP-13, which is scheduled to be convened from 2-14 October 2004, in Bangkok, Thailand. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin report on this meeting can be found at: http://enb.iisd.org/cites/CITA20/