African Convention for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources

 

Article VII. Faunal Resources

1. The Contracting States shall ensure conservation, wise use and
development of faunal resources and their environment, within the
framework of land-use planning and of economic and social development.
Management shall be carried out in accordance with plans based on
scientific principles, and to that end the Contracting States shall:

a) manage wildlife populations inside designated areas according to
the objectives of such areas and also manage exploitable
wildlife populations outside such areas for an optimum sustained
yield, compatible with and complementary to other land uses; and

b) manage aquatic environments, whether in fresh, brackish or
coastal water, with a view to minimising deleterious effects of
any water and land use practice which might adversely affect
aquatic habitats.

2. The Contracting States shall adopt adequate legislation on hunting,
capture and fishing, under which:

a) the issue of permits is properly regulated;

b) unauthorized methods are prohibited;

c) the following methods of hunting, capture and fishing are
prohibited:

1) any method liable to cause a mass destruction of wild
animals,
2) the use of drugs, poisons, poisoned weapons or poisoned
baits,
3) the use of explosives;
4) the following methods of hunting and capture are particularly
prohibited:
1. the use of mechanically propelled vehicles;
2. the use of fire;
3. the use of fire arms capable of firing more than one
round at each pull of the trigger;
4. hunting or capture at night;
5. the use of missiles containing detonators;

d) the following methods of hunting or capture are as far as
possible prohibited:

1) the use of nets and stockades,
2) the use of concealed traps, pits, snares, set-gun traps,
deadfalls, and hunting from a blind or hide;

e) with a view to as rational use as possible of game meat, the
abandonment by hunters of carcasses of animals, which represent
a food resource, is prohibited.

Capture of animals with the aid of drugs or mechanically propelled
vehicles, or hunting or capture by night if carried out by, or under the
control of, the competent authority shall nevertheless be exempted from
the prohibitions under (c) above.

Article VIII. Protected Species

1. The Contracting States recognize that it is important and urgent to
accord a special protection to those animal and plant species that are
threatened with extinction, or which may become so, and to the habitat
necessary to their survival. Where such a species is represented only in
the territory of one Contracting State, that State has a particular
responsibility for its protection. These species which are, or may be,
listed according to the degree of protection that shall be given to them
are placed in Class A or B of the Annex to this Convention, and shall be
protected by Contracting States as follows:

1) species in Class A shall be totally protected throughout the
entire territory of the Contracting States; the hunting,
killing, capture or collection of specimens shall be permitted
only on the authorization in each case of the highest competent
authority and only if required in the national interest or for
scientific purposes; and

2) species in Class B shall be totally protected, but may be
hunted, killed, captured or collected under special
authorization granted by the competent authority.

2. The competent authority of each Contracting State shall examine the
necessity of applying the provisions of this article to species not
listed in the annex, in order to conserve the indigenous flora and fauna
of their respective countries. Such additional species shall be placed in
Class A or B by the State concerned, according to its specific
requirements.

Article IX. Traffic Specimens and Trophies

1. In the case of animal species to which Article VIII does not apply the
Contracting States shall:

a) regulate trade in and transport of specimens and trophies;

b) control the application of these regulations in such a way as to
prevent trade in specimens and trophies which have been
illegally captured or killed or obtained.

2. In the case of plant and animal species to which Article VIII
paragraph (1) applies, the Contracting States shall:

a) take all measures similar to those in paragraph (1);

b) make the export of such specimens and trophies subject to an
authorization-

1) additional to that required for their capture, killing or
collection by Article VIII,
2) which indicates their destination,
3) which shall not be given unless the specimens or trophies
have been obtained legally,
4) which shall be examined prior to exportation,
5) which shall be on a standard form, as may be arranged under
Article XVI;

c) make the import and transit of such specimens and trophies
subject to the presentation of the authorization required under
section (b) above with due provision for the confiscation of
specimens and trophies exported illegally, without prejudice to
the application of other penalties.

Article X. Conservations areas

1. The Contracting States shall maintain and extend where appropriate,
within their territory and where applicable in their territorial waters,
the Conservation areas existing at the time of entry into force of the
present Convention and, preferably within the framework of land-use
planning programmes, assess the necessity of establishing additional
conservation areas in order to:

1) protect those ecosystems which are most representative of and
particularly those which are in any respect peculiar to their
territories,

2) ensure the conservation of all species and more particularly of
those listed or which may be listed in the annex to this
Convention;

2. The Contracting States shall establish, where necessary, around the
borders of conservation areas, zones within which the competent
authorities shall control activities detrimental to the protected natural
resources.

Article XI. Customary Rights

The Contracting States shall take all necessary legislative measures to
reconcile customary rights with the provisions of this Convention.

Article XII. Research

The Contracting States shall encourage and promote research in
conservation, utilization and management of natural resources and shall
pay particular attention to ecological and sociological factors.

Article XIII. Conservation Education

1. a) The Contracting States shall ensure that their peoples
appreciate their close dependence on natural resources and that
they understand the need, and rules for, the rational
utilization of these resources.

b) For this purpose they shall ensure that the principles indicated
in paragraph (1):

1) are included in educational programmes at all levels,

2) form the object of information campaigns capable of
acquainting the public with, and winning it over to, the idea of
conservation.

2. In order to put into effect paragraph (l) above, the Contracting
States shall make maximum use of the educational value of conservation
areas.

 

Author: international

Mentioned in these Entries

African Convention for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Education.