Enforcement
BfN is also an enforcement agency.
The survival of many animal and plant species is threatened by their being taken from the wild. The international community responded to this situation as early as 1973 by adopting the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora - 
CITES.
BfN is the German enforcement agency for this convention, granting permits for imports and exports of protected species. In support of this work, BfN develops the scientific bases for decision-making. This also leads to further developments in species conservation law in general.
In the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the North and Baltic Seas - 12 to 200 sea miles beyond the coastal line - BfN is responsible for selecting and managing NATURA 2000 sites designated under the European Community Habitats Directive and Birds Directive, and is involved in the permitting process for projects. 
Habitat Mare Natura 2000
In the field of agricultural genetic engineering BfN is involved in the procedures for approving the release or placing on the market of genetically modified plants, animals and microorganisms. Moreover, BfN develops the scientific fundamentals of monitoring, and organizes schemes to monitor the effects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on nature and environment. To assess the risks posed by GMOs, it is essential to analyse the interactions between them and other living organisms - and thus all biota.
