Wildlife trade, people, and conservation incentives

Bluefin Tuna on sale, Tokyo © Michel Gunther / WWF-Canon The historical impacts of wildlife trade on the status and security of biological resources have largely been negative, but the utilitarian value of wild animals, plants, their products and derivatives can and does make an important contribution to the fulfilment of human needs. There is growing awareness of the social significance of wild resources, the MA making a clear link between biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being. Further, a recent analysis developed by TRAFFIC demonstrated the considerable direct contribution that well managed, sustainable trade in wild products makes to human livelihoods—particularly those of the rural poor—and the significant potential of this trade to contribute to the achievement of MDGs when sustainable, legal and well managed.

The values derived from wildlife trade by people may in some circumstances provide direct positive incentives for protection of species, natural habitats and systems. In turn, these incentives can compete with the overwhelming economic forces driving land conversion from natural ecosystems to biodiversity-poor agricultural systems, which represent the greatest cause of depletion of biodiversity today. However, such potential positive forces operate within a complicated and fast-moving natural resource economy, especially in emerging economies and less developed countries, where decentralization and governance shortfalls (including corruption) are often confounding issues.

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