Bahrain enforces new permit and certificate rules on international trade in endangered species

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

New rules regulating Bahrain’s international trade in endangered wild animals and plants have taken effect, banning cross-border dealings in listed specimens unless a permit or certificate is issued by the Supreme Council for Environment.

The executive regulations were issued under Decision No. 12 of 2025, signed by His Highness Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Environment.

They apply to international trade in specimen samples listed in the annexes attached to the regulations.

Under the rules, trade in those specimens is prohibited unless authorised by the council.

Permits

Applications for permits and certificates must be submitted through the council’s website using the prescribed form, supported by documents showing lawful possession of the specimen.

Applicants must provide a copy of the identity card for individuals, or a commercial registration where the purpose is commercial, along with identifying marks for specimens where required.

The council is to issue permits and certificates within 30 days of the application date once requirements are met and the prescribed fee is paid.

The period can be extended by a further 30 days where needed.

Application

If no reply is issued within the time limit, the application is treated as refused.

An applicant may file a grievance with the chairman of the council against a refusal decision, in line with Article 19 of Law No. 5 of 2021.

The regulations also require registration for specimens used for public display and for commercial breeding and production.

Those intending to use specimens listed in Annexes 1 and 2 for display must register with the competent department, submitting proof of lawful possession, specimen lists, buyer records, and registers of births and deaths, and assigning identification numbers to all specimens.

Separate conditions apply to breeding and commercial production.

The rules require detailed information about the establishment, including security plans, veterinary records, production records, measures linked to species conservation, and compliance with animal welfare requirements, particularly for specimens listed in Annex 1.

Those seeking to engage in international trade must also register their details with the competent department, with registration in the commercial register required.

The regulations introduce a certificate of ownership for live specimens to prove ownership for repeated movement between countries. Applicants must be Bahraini nationals or residents in the kingdom and must submit supporting documents and the specimen’s details.

Registers

They also provide for electronic registers to monitor international trade in specimen samples, detailing how data is recorded, checked, updated on a regular basis, and used to prepare approved reports.

Terms used in the regulations carry the meanings assigned in Law No. 5 of 2021.

“Display” is defined as the use of specimens of species listed in Annexes 1 and 2 in presentations offered to the public, while a “certificate of ownership” is defined as a document issued by the Supreme Council for Environment to prove ownership of a specimen for repeated cross-border movement.