Monday 22 Oct 2012 @ 16:10
WiredGov Newswire (news from other organisations)
WiredGov Newswire (news from other organisations)
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WWF and TRAFFIC respond to wildlife crime report
A new report on wildlife crime published recently by the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) says improvements have been made since previous findings in 2004, but that wildlife law needs ‘fixing’ and police need greater support. The report suggests that enforcement of wildlife crime in the UK is suffering due to the short term availability of funds, a lack of proper training and guidance over prosecutions, and unnecessarily complex legislation.
WWF and TRAFFIC gave evidence to the EAC earlier this year and are pleased to see their recommendations reflected in the report. One of the main concerns was the lack of long-term funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). This unit is responsible for gathering intelligence on wildlife crime and providing analytical and investigative support to police and customs officers across the UK.
Heather Sohl, senior species policy officer for WWF-UK said: “Today, the Committee has rightly acknowledged that the UK has made good progress in the last eight years, but to build on success we need the government to recognise that the NWCU needs long-term funding to help stop wildlife crime.” 1
“The NWCU’s specialist skills are a cost-effective asset that should be protected and developed” the report says. “The lack of certainty about its longer-term funding makes it difficult for the NWCU to recruit, retain and develop specialist staff.”
WWF and TRAFFIC have launched an online action to “Protect the Protectors” 2 asking the public to write to their local MPs to help secure the future of this unit and the vital work it does. WWF hopes that the UK government will publicly recognise the importance of the National Wildlife Crime Unit and sustain its funding for next year, as well as agree to long-term funding beyond 2013.
Stephanie Pendry, Enforcement Programme Leader at TRAFFIC, who has worked as part of the unit, said: “I have witnessed first-hand the vital role that this unit plays. In the case of illegal wildlife trade, culprits are often part of wider criminal networks that operate across borders, and cracking down on such trade takes time and joint effort.”
Protect the Protectors is part of WWF and TRAFFIC’s global campaign to stop illegal wildlife trade. To find out more and get involved go to: wwf.org.uk/stopit
Notes to Editors:
1 The National Wildlife Crime Unit’s budget was cut by 10 per cent from £440,000 in 2011/12 to £397,000 in the current year.
2 To find out more about WWF’s online action 'Protect the Protectors' go to http://bit.ly/ProtectTheProtectors
About WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. www.wwf.org.uk
About TRAFFIC
TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC is a joint programme of IUCN and WWF. www.traffic.org
For more information:
Cara Clancy | Media Officer, WWF-UK
T: 01483 412 305 | E: cclancy@wwf.org.uk | M: 07917086494
WWF and TRAFFIC gave evidence to the EAC earlier this year and are pleased to see their recommendations reflected in the report. One of the main concerns was the lack of long-term funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). This unit is responsible for gathering intelligence on wildlife crime and providing analytical and investigative support to police and customs officers across the UK.
Heather Sohl, senior species policy officer for WWF-UK said: “Today, the Committee has rightly acknowledged that the UK has made good progress in the last eight years, but to build on success we need the government to recognise that the NWCU needs long-term funding to help stop wildlife crime.” 1
“The NWCU’s specialist skills are a cost-effective asset that should be protected and developed” the report says. “The lack of certainty about its longer-term funding makes it difficult for the NWCU to recruit, retain and develop specialist staff.”
WWF and TRAFFIC have launched an online action to “Protect the Protectors” 2 asking the public to write to their local MPs to help secure the future of this unit and the vital work it does. WWF hopes that the UK government will publicly recognise the importance of the National Wildlife Crime Unit and sustain its funding for next year, as well as agree to long-term funding beyond 2013.
Stephanie Pendry, Enforcement Programme Leader at TRAFFIC, who has worked as part of the unit, said: “I have witnessed first-hand the vital role that this unit plays. In the case of illegal wildlife trade, culprits are often part of wider criminal networks that operate across borders, and cracking down on such trade takes time and joint effort.”
Protect the Protectors is part of WWF and TRAFFIC’s global campaign to stop illegal wildlife trade. To find out more and get involved go to: wwf.org.uk/stopit
Notes to Editors:
1 The National Wildlife Crime Unit’s budget was cut by 10 per cent from £440,000 in 2011/12 to £397,000 in the current year.
2 To find out more about WWF’s online action 'Protect the Protectors' go to http://bit.ly/ProtectTheProtectors
About WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. www.wwf.org.uk
About TRAFFIC
TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC is a joint programme of IUCN and WWF. www.traffic.org
For more information:
Cara Clancy | Media Officer, WWF-UK
T: 01483 412 305 | E: cclancy@wwf.org.uk | M: 07917086494
