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International Affairs

SCI actively works in the international arena protecting the freedom to hunt worldwide. SCI also works to increase hunting access and reduce burdens for international hunters.

For more information on hunting, please visit SCI's International Hunting - Focus on Africa page

Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES): CITES regulates trade in protected species of wildlife including the shipment of hunting trophies. SCI is a leading non-governmental organization participant in CITES and has sent representatives to CITES meetings since 1979. SCI participates in the Conferences of the Parties (CoP), Animals Committee Meetings and Standing Committee Meetings, working with delegates from countries and other organizations around the world.

Before every CoP, SCI produces a Sustainable Use Voting Guide that informs the CITES Parties how they should vote on the Conference’s proposals. CoP18 Voting Guide.

  • The European Federation of Associations for Hunting & Conservation (FACE): FACE is comprised of European national hunters’ associations and other associate members, including SCI and the SCI Foundation. FACE represents the interests of Europe’s seven million hunters and works on all hunting-related issues in Europe.
  • World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities (WFSA): SCI's participation in WFSA helps magnify SCI's voice in the international community. The Forum is an educational and scientific association, founded in 1997 by more than two dozen existing associations and organizations. WFSA is a proactive advocacy organization representing a substantial portion of the sport shooting community, working in concert with international bodies, national governments and regulatory authorities, for the worldwide promotion and preservation of sport shooting activities.
  • United Nations (UN): The UN has no fewer than five programs dedicated to limiting the ability to import or transport firearms. SCI is a registered non-governmental organization with the United Nations, working to oppose any attempt to limit the lawful transportation of firearms for hunting purposes.
  • Airline Transport: Some of the biggest problems for international hunters are the unnecessary burdens and regulations that impede the transport of firearms and trophies internationally. SCI works with both airlines and governments to reduce the burdens faced by the traveling hunter.
  • Importation of Wildlife: Even though CITES regulates wildlife trade, many countries and the European Union often impose additional regulations that prohibit or limit trophy importation. SCI works around the world to reduce the burden on hunters who try to bring back legally hunted trophies from abroad.  SCI has participated with other international organizations to advocate for hunting and community-based management of wildlife in range countries and to prevent unnecessary restrictions that impede range country conservation success.
  • Firearms Ownership and Transport:  Firearms ownership and transportation among European countries is regulated by the European Union Firearms Directive, which is designed to deter terrorism and criminal activity.  SCI works with FACE to prevent amendments to this document that would unnecessarily penalize legal owners and users of firearms (hunters).
  • Ammunition: Currently one of the biggest threats to hunters and sport shooters around the world is the push to ban or restrict the use of traditional ammunition. SCI is working on multiple fronts to prevent the imposition of requirements that would make it infeasible, if not impossible, for efficient and accessible hunting to continue.
  • Border Governors and Latin American-U.S. Leadership Forum:  These meetings, scheduled to coincide with SCI’s annual Convention, bring together decision-makers from Mexican states and South American countries to discuss issues of hunting, wildlife management, law enforcement and CITES decision-making.

International Talking Points

IUCN: Informing Decisions on Trophy Hunting

Click here for IUCN Decisions on Trophy Hunting.

On The Issues

Recent International Affairs Articles

Effectively Combating Wildlife Trafficking: An open debate in the European Parliament

By SCI Advocacy | July 5, 2023

Brussels, 28 June 2023 – European decision-makers, African delegations and NGOs met in the European Parliament on 27 June 2023 to discuss how to best combat wildlife trafficking, which is crucial to halting biodiversity loss. The event, which was hosted by MEP Alex Agius Saliba (S&D Malta), had a strong

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SCI Attends CITES Animal Committee Meeting

By SCI Advocacy | June 27, 2023

Last week, SCI staff attended the 32nd CITES Animals Committee meeting (AC32) in Geneva, continuing SCI’s long commitment to engage on CITES issues and work to ensure international trade in hunting trophies.  Fortunately, the Committee did not initiate any actions that directly implicate trade in trophies, a welcome relief from

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UK Trophy Import Ban Gets Second Reading from Lords

By SCI Advocacy | June 19, 2023

After passing the House of Commons in March, the United Kingdom’s House of Lords held a “second reading” of the trophy import ban bill on June 16. Many Lords spoke about the bill, and surprisingly, a majority spoke against it because of the negative conservation and livelihoods impacts an import

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SCI Canada Conducts Lobby Day in Ottawa

By SCI Advocacy | June 13, 2023

Mirroring SCI’s Lobby Day in Washington DC, SCI Canada held its first Lobby Day in Ottawa on June 8th as part of its annual Canada Conference. SCI chapters and members from across Canada met with Members of Parliament on Parliament Hill to discuss the issues affecting hunting, fishing and shooting sports

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Apex Elephants

By SCI Advocacy | June 1, 2023

African Savannah Elephants Thrive In Countries Where They Are Hunted Originally published in the May/June 2023 issues of Safari Magazine. By Al Weinert I had resigned myself to never getting an elephant. My journey started in 2018 when I booked a hunt with PH and good friend Dale “Donza” Desfountain. 

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Waterfowl Hunting Under Attack in Australia

By SCI Advocacy | May 9, 2023

On May 8, as part of a public participation process, SCI submitted a comment and letters from 685 SCI members and advocates.  In addition to explaining that hunting drives conservation programs, including for ducks, these letters urge the Select Committee to base its decisions on science and to ignore anti-hunting

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