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International Species Conservation Funds

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Order Code RS21157 Updated March 6, 2007April 21, 2008 Multinational Species Conservation Fund Pervaze A. Sheikh Analyst in Natural Resources Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division M. Lynne Corn Specialist in Natural Resources Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division Summary The Multinational Species Conservation Fund is a relatively small program within the Fish and Wildlife Service that has generated enormous constituent interest, chiefly concerning its funding levels. This report describes the fund briefly, and summarizes recent and proposed appropriations levels. The Multinational Species Conservation Fund (MSCF), which currently benefits tigers, the six species of rhinoceroses, Asian and African elephants, marine turtles, and great apes (gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and the various species of gibbons), has generated a tremendous amount of constituent interest. The fund supports conservation efforts benefitting these species, often in conjunction with efforts under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to which the United States is a Party.1 TheFor FY2008 request, $7.9 million was provided for the MSCF isand $4.34 million. Funding was provided for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund (NMBCF) is requested separately at $4.0 million for FY2008. The FY2008. This is over $3.5 million more than was requested for the MSCF and nearly $0.5 million more than was requested for the NMBCF. The FY2009 funding request for the MSCF represents approximately a 45 a 33% decrease from the FY2006 FY2008 enacted level, and is the same as the FY2007 requested level. For the NMBCF, the FY2006 enacted level, FY2007 request, and FY2008 request are all similar. Final appropriations for the MSCF and NMBCF for FY2007 have not been reported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. While all programs proposed under the fund have lower requests based on their FY2006 appropriations, the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund has the largest percentage decrease (57% decrease). The NMBCF was funded as a separate 1 For more information, see CRS Report RL31654, Endangered Species Act: A Primer, by M. Lynne Corn, Eugene H. Buck, and Pamela Baldwin, and CRS Report RL32751, The Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora: Background and Issues, by Pervaze A. Sheikh and M. Lynne Corn. CRS-2 program for FY2006. Congress rejected the proposed transfer in FY2006, as it had done in the four previous fiscal years. For FY2008, the Administration has proposed to fund the MSCF and the NMBCF separately. Table 1 shows funding levels for the MSCF and the NMBCF for FY2004-FY2006, and the requested funding level for FY2007 and FY2008. The MSCF is authorized under five acts, described below FY2008 requested level. The NMBCF was funded as a separate program for FY2008. For FY2009, the NMBCF is requested to have $4.0 million. For FY2009, the Administration had proposed to fund the MSCF and the NMBCF separately. 1 For more information, see CRS Report RL31654, Endangered Species Act: A Primer, by M. Lynne Corn, Eugene H. Buck, and Pamela Baldwin, and CRS Report RL32751, The Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora: Background and Issues, by Pervaze A. Sheikh and M. Lynne Corn. CRS-2 Table 1 shows funding levels for the MSCF and the NMBCF for FY2004-FY2008. The MSCF is authorized under five acts, described below. In the 110th Congress, the African Elephant Conservation Act, Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund, and Asian Elephant Fund were reauthorized for funding until 2012. The African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4201) authorizes matching grants for conservation, research, management, and protection of this species. Projects are carried out in cooperation with African nations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The authorization for appropriations expires in 20072012. The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund (16 U.S.C. 5301) assists in conserving tigers and the 6 species of rhinos. Matching grants support governments and NGOs in projects to conserve habitat, survey populations, improve law enforcement, and educate the public. The authorization for appropriations expires in 20072012. The Asian Elephant Fund (16 U.S.C. 4261) is similar to the above programs in purposes and scope. An additional emphasis, where the elephants are draft animals, is to promote their humane treatment and encourage captive breeding. The authorization for appropriations expires in 20072012. The Great Ape Conservation Fund (16 U.S.C. 1603) is similar to the above programs in purposes and scope. Species of interest are lowland and mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos (a species very closely related to chimpanzees), orangutans, and the species of gibbons (Genus Hylobates — about 8-10 species, according to anthropologists). The authorization for appropriations expires in 2010. The Marine Turtle Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 6601) was passed on July 2, 2004. This law provides grants for the conservation of marine turtle populations and their nesting habitats in the wild. This law authorizes $5 million in annual appropriations from FY2005 to FY2009 for conservation efforts and establishes a marine turtle conservation fund within the MSCF. The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 6101-6109) provides grants for the conservation of hundreds of bird species that migrate among North and South America and the Caribbean. The act requires spending 75% of the funds on projects outside of the United States. The act was reauthorized in 2006. The legislation expands the program to include Canada, authorizes appropriations until 2009, and creates a separate fund for the NMBCF. The NMBCF is no longer included in the Administration’s request under the MSCF. CRS-3 Table 1. Funding for Multinational Species Conservation Fund, FY2004-FY2006 and FY2007FY2008 and FY2009 Request (in U.S. $, thousands) Multinational Species Conservation Fund FY2004 Enacted FY2005 Enacted FY2006 Enacted FY2007 Requested FY2008 Requested FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 FY2009 Conservation Fund Enacted Enacted Enacted Enacted Enacted Request African elephant $1,383 $1,380 $1,379 $990 $1,379 $1,477 990 Tiger and Rhinos 1,383 1,478 1,576 9901,576 1,969 990 Asian elephant 1,383 1,381 1,379 1,379 1,477990 990 Great Apes 1,383 1,381 1,379 990 9901,379 1,969 990 Marine Turtle 0 99 691 691 984 297 Total MSCF 5,532 5,719 6,404 6,404 7,876 4,300 Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Funda 3,951 3,944 3,941 3,941 4,430 4,000297 297 [3,951] [3,944] [3,941] [3,960] [3,960] 5,532b 5,719 6,404 4,257 4,257 Marine Turtle Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Funda Total a. This program was first authorized in FY2002, and is not part of the MSCF, although the transfer was proposed in the President’s budgets for FY2002 - FY2007. However, because Congress has rejected the transfer four times, the program is not included in the column totals for FY2004-FY2006, or for the FY2007 request. The FY2008FY2009 request doesdid not include the NMBCF in the MSCF. b. Due to rounding, columns sum to slightly less than this total.