Russia/Soviet Union Conservation of Migratory Birds and Their Environment

Summary: Per Digest of Federal Resource Laws of Interest to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: This Convention was signed in Moscow on November 19, 1976, and approved by the Senate on July 12, 1978. Documents of ratification were exchanged October 13, 1978, in Washington, D.C., and the exchanged Convention was implemented on November 8, 1978, by P.L. 95-616 (92 Stat. 3110), which amended the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1978 (16 USC 703-711; 40 Stat. 755). The Convention provides for the protection of species of birds that migrate between the United States and the Soviet Union or that occur in either country and "have common flyways, breeding, wintering, feeding or moulting areas." It also encourages actions to identify and protect important habitat against pollution, detrimental alteration, and other environmental degradation, and to cooperate in measures to protect migratory birds identified as being in danger of extinction. This international agreement remains in force for 15 years and will thereafter be renewed automatically on an annual basis subject to termination by either party.