Regulation on revised administrative fees for wildlife conservation (FDA Regulation No. 25)

FORESTRY DEVELOPlv1ENT AUTHORITY REGUALTION NO. 25 REVISED ADMINISTRATIVE FEES ON,WILDLIFECONSERVATION WHEREAS, the Act Creating the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), approved on November 1, 1976 and published on December 20, 1976 conferred upon the Forestry Development Authority the power to promulgate rules and regulations as may be necessary to execute or implement the objectives of this Act, and; , WHEREAS, the said Act creating the FDA further empowered the Forestry Development Authority to correlate Forestry to an other land use practices, such as mining, agriculture, and human settlement, in an effort to contribute, to increase food security for Liberia, (Section 3; d) and;. .. WHEREAS, the said Act creating the FDA further empowered the Authority to prescribe licenses permits, and other instruments and in like manner, amend, revoke such licenses, permits or instruments as may be necessary to connect the forestry sector to the overall national economy (Section 3;d) and; WHEREAS, the said Act has conferred upon the Authority the power to carry out programs for the wise use and perpetuation of the vast biodiversity of the country, and to continue providing services to the public on forest and wildlife conservation measures through the levying of fees (Section 4c, 1(vn, and; WHEREAS, in recent times following the cessation of hostilities and the return of peace throughout the country, it has been observed that there is a tremendous increase in the hunting and trade ofwild animals throughout Liberia, and; WHEREAS, in consideration of the above it becomes mandatory according to Law for the . Authority to adopt corrective measures to control the situation whereby its customers contribute their share to national economy and ensure the continual flow of services to the general public and; NOW, THEREFORE the Management of the Forestry Development Authority does hereby rule and regulate the following regarding its wildlife conservation program: SECTION I: DEFINITIONS a. Authority- means the Forestry Development Authority. b. Hunting - means to kill, capture! take, trap, injure, shoot at! lie in wait for, willfully disturb or molest and includes any attempt to do any of the above. c. Commercial Hunting - means hunting activities/operations undertaken to derive financial benefits; ." .. d. SportlTrophy Hunting - means hunting activities undertaken to obtain wildlife or its derivatives part/products for souvenir; e. Wildlife Animal - means any animal vertebrates or invertebrates includes mammals,' reptiles, birds, amphibians and insects of every description but does not include any fish or domestic animals; f Trade - means to sell. buy, barter, hawk, exchange, offer, or expose for sale; g. Wildlife Trade - means the buying, selling or exchange, offer or expose for sale; h. Protected Animals - means animals listed under Section 60 of the Wildlife and National Parks Act of 1988 and include; LIBERIAN FULLY PROTECTED ANIMALS AND THEIR LOCAL NAMES LOCAL NAME bamboo,baboon red monkey, lion monkey elephant elk, rain deer bush cow' leopard bush cat water caw white deer ants bear boa constrictor mammy water alligator SCIENTIFIC NAME Pan troglodytes verus Procolobus badius badius Loxodonta africana cyclotis Roocercus eurycerus eurycers Syncerus caffer nanus Panthera pardus Fellsaurata Choeropsis liberiensis Cephaeophus Jentinki Smutsia gigintea Trichechus senegatensis Neotragus pygmaeus Crocodylus liberiensis COMMON NAME 1. Chimpanzee 2. Red Monkey 3. Elephant 4. Bongo antelope 5. -West African forest buffalo 6. Leopard 7. Golden Cat 8. .Pygmy hippopotamus 9. Jentinck's duiker 10. Giant Pangolin 11. Rock python 12. Manatee 13. Royal antelope 14. Croc-odile 15. Sea turtle 16. And all other animals, which the experts deem necessary from time to time. 1. Protected Area - means all areas selected within the Republic of Liberia and declared NationalParks; nature reserves; game reserves, National forests; J. Unprotected Area - means all forest lands within the Republic of Liberia that have not been declared protected areas k. Busluneat Trader - means any individual or business entity engaged in the buying and/or selling ofbusbmeat. AVES 1. Bare-headed rock fowl 2. All birds ofprey including hawks; kites, falcons, buzzards, vultures, harriers, and owls. SECTION II: APPLICATION Before corrunencing any hunting and wildlife trade operation in Liberia each hunter/trade, whether individual or business entity, shall apply to the office of the Managing Director of the Authority for a permit and supply the following information: a. Articles of Incorporation b. Complete mailing address c. Business registration certificate d. Description ofoperational area Individual or business entity engaged in hunting/trade prior to corning into force of this regulation shall also be required to submit the above information. SECTION III: AREAS EXEMPTED FROM HUNTING Hunting shall not be allowed in the following areas: National Parks, Nature Reserves, National Forests, Environmentally threatened areas, and other areas so designated. SECTION IV: ADMINISTRATIVE FEES: a. A qualified hunter shall be required to pay to the Authority a non-refundable administrative .fee of L$2,500.00(Two thousand five hundred Liberian dollars) per annum and the permit granted should be renewable annually. b. Any qualified bush meat trader shall be required to pay to the Authority a non-refundable fee of L$4,OOO.OO (Four thousand Liberian doUars) per annum and the permit granted shall be renewable annually. c. Any qualified trophy/sport hunter shall pay a non-refundable administrative fee of U8$500.00 (Five hundred United States dollars) to the Authority for each mammal or reptile killed during game hooting, provided however such mammal or reptile does not fall within Section 60 of the Wildlife and National Parks Act approved July 21, 1988. d. All birds of prey specified under the Wildlife and National Parks Act approved July 21, 1988 such as eagles, hawks, carriers. kites, falcons, owls, and parrots shall carry a non-refundable administrative fee of US$30.00 (Thirty United States Dollars) per bird payable to the Authority. e. All other birds such as weavers (rice birds) shall carry a non-refundable administrative fee of US$lO.OO (Ten United States dollars) per bird payable to the Authority. f A Wildlife Conservation Fee ofUS$25.00 (Twenty five United States dollars) shall be levied on all CITIES Export Permits for Wildlife Products. g. WILDLIFE PET OWNERS - Any person owning Live wildlife animals as pets shall pay the following Administrative fee to the Authority per annum: 1. Liberians-------------------------------------LD$l ,000.00 II. Non- Liberians---------------------------------US$250.00 SECTION V: WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT The bulk of the Liberian people rely on bush meat for their protein requirement. This, plus other factors have resulted to indiscriminate killing, especially for commercial purposes of wildlife resources. To curtail this wanton killing of animals, the Authority hereby rules that anyone engaged ' in the sale of bush meat must possess a current business certificate and obtain a permit from the Authority. THE WILDLIFE RESOURCES are classified under two categories: 1. Partially protected animals, and 2. Fully protected (prohibited) animals. The Wildlife Act of 1988 serves as the main conservation legislation in Liberia. The Act provides the necessary legal basis for conservation as concerns the establishment of protected areas. The Act stipulates that every established park must operate on .a ten (l0) year comprehensive management plan. Person other than official employees must be granted permission to enter a park. Also no weapon and hunting area allowed therein. In the case of illicit hunting or violation of any provisions, below are the specified penalties: SECTION VI: OFFENSES ANDPENALTIES Possession of Weapons Hunting in National Park or Nature Reserves a. IfLeopard, Elephant, or Pygmy Hippo b. Ifanimal not in{a) above c. In case ofa & b Disturbance in an established Park i.e. cutting down trees, Fanning, etc. U8$25 - 100 or days - 6 months imprisonment U8$500 - 1,000 or 6 months imprisonment U8$5000 - 10,000 or 2 - 4 years imprisonment 250 - 500 or 4-6 months imprisonment Confiscate animals (a) deposit proceeds into Government ofLiberia (ooL) revenue and (b) confiscate weapon etc. use in offense US$S0 - 500 or 3 months - 1 year imprisonment Fishing in National Park and Nature Reserve without permission U8$100 - 150 or 60 -100 days imprisonment. . Possession of live anirnal(s) without Permission Hunting in game reserves No hunting permit/license Hunting ofprotected animal US$lOO.OO -150.00 or three months imprisonment; Confiscate animal; US$250 - 500 Or 4 - 6 months imprisonment U8$25· 500 or 30 days- 1 year imprisonment a. Leopard, Elephant, or Pygmy Hippo U8$5000- 10,000 or 4 years imprisonment b; Any other animal U8$250 - 500 or 4-5 months imprisonment LIST OF LIBERIAN ENDANGERED ANIMAL SPECIES COMMON NAME 1. Chimpanzee 2. Elephant 3. Leopard 4. Jentink's duiker SCIENTIFIC NAME Pan troglodytes verus Loxodonta agricana cuclotis Panthera pardua Cephalopus jentinki 5. Manatee 6. Crodile ,. ~g.m)fhippot-"Otamus Trichechus senegatensis Crocodylus liberiensis C\1Qerop&\s liberiensis SECTION VII: HUNTING PERIOD The official hunting period starts from November 1 ofeach year to April 30 ofthe following year. SECTION VII: REPEAL Regulation No. 21 on revised Administrative Fees as Regard Standardized Monetary Unit, Sections VI, VII, and VIII are hereby repealed. SECTION IX: EFFECTIVE DATE This Regulation shall become effective on June 23,2000 A.D. and shall be announced and published in the media. SIGNED: Demetrious B. Taylor MANAGING DIRECTOR FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MONROVIA, LIBERIA June 9, 2000