AlanRatcliffe
Own an instrument made from wood or other materials on the endangered species list? Traveling can be a scary proposition. Your instrument could be seized if you try to enter or leave a country without proper documentation and permits to back up the provenance of each of the proscribed materials in the instrument.
But there may be a solution on the way. At the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, taking place in Bangkok now, United States delegates have proposed “passports” for instruments made from materials derived from endangered species. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, passports would alleviate the extreme paperwork burdens faced by travelling musicians — especially larger groups, such as orchestras.
The instrument passport proposal will be voted on by attending countries at the Convention.
