POLICYFORUM I

nternational wildlife trade remains a lead-ing threat to biodiversity conservation ( 1) and is a common vector for infectious diseases ( 2, 3) and invasive species ( 4) that also affect agriculture, livestock, and public health. With 175 member countries, the Con-vention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) is the most important global initiative to moni-tor and regulate international trade of plants and animals ( 5). CITES regulates trade of nearly 34,000 species and has reduced threats associated with overharvest of imperiled spe-cies for international trade. Credible biological and trade data are core to informing decisions and garnering politi-cal will and consensus among CITES parties ( 6). This does not preclude party bargaining, as occurred during the March 2010 Confer-ence of Parties (CoP) debate over bluefin tuna [e.g., ( 7)]. Nevertheless, CITES deci-sions are also frequently hindered by a lack of basic data [e.g., ( 8 – 10)]. We highlight CITES limitations and describe potential solutions related to systematic data collection, rigorous data analysis, fl exible research methods, and peer review