NEW EXOTIC BIRD RECORD KEEPING SCHEME

["Harvey Perkins" <>]

Recent press release at http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/env/2007/pubs/mr11oct07.pdf?tb=119:59

 

NEW EXOTIC BIRD RECORD KEEPING SCHEME TO COMBAT

ILLEGAL TRADE AND PROTECT NATIVE BIRDS FROM DISEASE

A new national exotic bird record keeping scheme will allow better tracking of exotic birds to help

fight illegal trade and introduction of foreign diseases which threaten Australia's native species, the

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull said today.

"Under the new scheme, birdkeepers will be encouraged to keep standardised records on the origin

of their birds and for their movement within Australia," Mr Turnbull said.

"The scheme has been developed in consultation with aviculturalists through the Exotic

Birdkeepers Advisory Group to ensure that it will be simple and practical for birdkeepers to

implement."

"Increasing legitimacy for exotic birds will also provide more certainty for birdkeepers about the

origin of their birds – this will likely increase the value of legally held exotic birds and that will

benefit the birdkeeping sector."

The Australian Government is committed to curbing the illegal trade of exotic birds and has

invested $100,000 to ensure the successful implementation of the scheme.

The recommended standards for exotic bird record keeping will involve birdkeepers:

·

marking and individually identifying all high interest birds that they hold and recording

these details in an Activity Record book; and

·

using Movement Transaction Records when selling or buying birds.

The scheme will apply to species listed on the

2003 Inventory of Exotic (Non-native) Birds Known

to be in Australia

. These species have been classified into high interest and low interest species

based on pest risk, disease risk and risk of illegal trade. Under the scheme, birdkeepers will return

records for high interest birds to the Department of the Environment and Water Resources.

Record keeping will help owners demonstrate adherence to the Environment Protection and

Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Under the EPBC Act it may be an offence to possess wildlife

without being able to demonstrate its origins. Substantial penalties of fines up to $110,000 and 5

years imprisonment can apply.

"The scheme will help meet the Australian Government's international obligations to minimise

illegal international wildlife trade and to protect Australia's biodiversity," Mr Turnbull said.

Australia is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild

Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

"I encourage all exotic birdkeepers in Australia – whether commercial or hobbyists – to take up this

scheme to protect their own birds, and Australia's unique native wildlife," Mr Turnbull said.