Molecular Forensics into the Sea: How Molecular Markers Can Help to Struggle Against Poaching and Illegal Trade in Precious Corals?

Abstract

Precious corals encompass various species belonging to three different orders (Alcyonacea, Zoanthidea and Antipatharia) of the Anthozoan class. These sessile cnidarians are one of the most valuable marine resources due to the use of their skeleton for jewelry and handcrafted artifacts. The exploitation of precious corals beds generally follows a boom and bust cycle resulting in a worldwide overexploitation of this natural resource. The sustainability of coral fisheries is therefore unambiguously questioned. Discussions regarding international regulations on harvesting or trade have regularly risen in the last decades. As an example, the genus Corallium, which includes some of the most harvested and valuables precious coral species, was unsuccessfully proposed for listing in Appendix II of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in 2007 and 2009. To date, there is no international consensus on the management of coral beds (but see 2011 FAO-GFCM recommendations for the Mediterranean Sea). Each country manages independently its stocks of precious corals inducing contrasted conservation policies. Considering the benefit in trading precious corals and the low enforcement of existing regulations, poaching is very attractive and globally expanding, principally within marine protected areas where populations are healthier and colonies are generally bigger. In this context, innovative management tools and strategies should be developed to ensure the protection of these species. Recent advances in wildlife forensics sciences and more particularly in molecular forensics methods and associated statistical analyses open new avenues to struggle against poaching and illegal trade in precious corals.