Trade

Photo credit: Morten Ekker

The International Polar Bear Trade Working Group (TWG) was established by the Polar Bear Range States to address the two objectives regarding trade in the Declaration of the Responsible Ministers of the Polar Bear Range States Moscow, Russian Federation, 4 of December 2013, and develop recommendations for consideration by the Range States. The TWG consisted of representatives from the five range states - Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia, and the United States. The TWG’s objective was to produce recommendations for the better enforcement, reporting, and data for polar bears. The TWG’s final recommendations were considered and adopted by the Range States at their 2015 Polar Bear Range States Meeting, Ilulissat Greenland, September 1-3, 2015. The TWG completed its objective with the adoption of the final six recommendations regarding trade in polar bear that was endorsed by the Polar Bear Range States at the 2015 meeting. A report “Review and Analysis of Canadian Trade in Polar Bears from 2005-2014” authored by E. Cooper was also commissioned by the TWG and used to inform these recommendations. Lastly, the adopted recommendations were used to inform the development of the Circumpolar Action Plan (CAP) actions for trade.