The paradox between the need to trade items with cultural value, such as scrimshaw, and the need to preserve wildlife organisms, like the great whales, has generated impassioned discussions that often require clarification. Bearing in mind the existence of international conventions on these matters which have been adopted into the national legislation to be applied in the Region, the Government considered the importance of promoting a training course on this subject.

Hence, the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and the Sea (SRAM), through the Regional Directorate for the Environment as a regional administrative authority with jurisdiction in the Azores over the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), will promote a work meeting on this Convention at the Sea Centre in Horta.

The meeting will be lead by João Loureiro, the Coordinator of the Application Unit of International Conventions from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity on May 5.  The morning session will addressed at the SRAM workers and the afternoon session will be open to the remaining inspection authorities, public services and private entities.

As we are celebrating the the International Year of Biodiversity, it is important to set limits on the use of the species in the Azores. We will be only able to promote a sustainable and responsible use of our Natural Heritage with the adequate information on load capacities and the existing legal restriction.