10 February 2011: In preparation for the 61st meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the CITES Secretariat has requested Parties to submit information regarding trade in, and enforcement of measures on, the humphead wrasse.

The topic will be on the agenda of the 61st meeting of the Standing Committee, to be held from 15-19 August 2011, in Geneva, Switzerland, which is expected to establish a Humphead Wrasse Working Group. In accordance with the decision of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (COP 15), parties are urged to: consider adopting appropriate, stricter domestic measures to strengthen the control and enforcement of the Appendix-II listing for the species; improve monitoring of trade in humphead wrasse; exchange law enforcement information of relevance, and regularly compile and forward to the Secretariat a comprehensive summary of Convention violations for the species; increase awareness of the CITES listing for humphead wrasse; facilitate discussion on practicable and acceptable options for action to be taken in case of illegally imported/confiscated live fish; and provide information to the Secretariat on actions taken to implement the decision. [The Notification]