Importing Coral from Canada

[Culater94]

hello, I am in Montreal and looking to buy some corals and bring on plane back to US tomorrow with me. Is this possible? What do I need to do in advance? Everything I read says as long as I have forms, I should be able to do this.

Does anyone have experience?

 

[JoshH]

#Reefsquad anyone have any experience with this?

 

[Sabellafella]

hello, I am in Montreal and looking to buy some corals and bring on plane back to US tomorrow with me. Is this possible? What do I need to do in advance? Everything I read says as long as I have forms, I should be able to do this.

Does anyone have experience?

Hey! I'm not sure on how Canadian laws are compared to ours but I'm almost positive you need to get permits to bring animals over. I'll see what I can find on the internet

 

[Sabellafella]

 

[JaimeAdams]

I know that we have sold coral to customers who were taking them from the US into Canada. The guy said that it was legal for soft coral, but not hard coral. But that was just a random hobbyist, so take it for what you will.

 

[gcarroll]

My friend got busted taking corals to Mexico. Don't do it! It's a fine amount that reaches 5 digits!

 

[Culater94]

I did not attempt, however customs told me need to have a permit from fish and wildlife, and even with that, he saw coral seized in Atlanta airport.

There were such beautiful anemones I wanted to bring back.

Thanks for all who posted

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I know that we have sold coral to customers who were taking them from the US into Canada. The guy said that it was legal for soft coral, but not hard coral. But that was just a random hobbyist, so take it for what you will.

True soft corals not in appexI,II,III. of CITES treaty. Odd, but true

You would need other permits, though

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

My friend got busted taking corals to Mexico. Don't do it! It's a fine amount that reaches

Can't believe that, but Mexico is afraid outside live animals might effect eco system.

 

[CC13]

You need a CITES export permit from the USA and a Canadian CITES import permit (I am speaking for SPS, LR and clams). I am not sure what the rules are for softies I never looking into those, but you do need both permits.

Its not impossible to get the permits; the problem lies when you try to get aquacultured corals. Believe it or not, its actually significantly harder (if not impossible) to get farmed corals because most of the time, the exporter (for example ORA down in Florida) are not able to positively identify the mother colony on the frags you are trying to import. Without actually being able to provide proof of this, your CITES permit cannot be issued. So you actually have a far easier time getting a CITES permit for wild ocean collected corals, which makes zero sense since farmed corals are actually far more sustainable.

I looked into doing this a few years ago. The issue also lies this takes time and work from both parties (you as the importer, and the wholesaler because they also need to be willing to supply and fill out paperwork on their end).

Do NOT try and bring restricted SPS or clams over the boarder and try and hide it. This is as serious as trying to smuggle restricted animals across the boarder and you will definitely face heavy fines or jail time if caught. The whole "I had no idea this was in my trunk", while you have 50 SPS frags in a cooler in your trunk is hardly believable. People get caught all the time doing this, and you can actually get charged with trafficking endangered and restricted wildlife.

So, anyone up in Canada that is advertising ORA SPS frags are either lying and trying to pass off normal SPS for a premium, or if they are legitimately ORA corals and 99% chance they brought it over illegally.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

You need a CITES export permit from the USA and a Canadian CITES import permit (I am speaking for SPS, LR and clams). I am not sure what the rules are for softies I never looking into those

Its not impossible to get, the problem lies when you try to get aquacultured corals. Believe it or not, its actually significantly harder to get farmed corals because most of the time, the exporter (for example ORA) is not able to positively identify the mother colony on the frags you are trying to import. Without actually being able to provide proof of this, your CITES permit cannot be issued. So you actually have a far easier time getting a CITES permit for wild ocean collected corals, which makes zero sense since farmed corals are actually far more sustainable.

I looked into doing this a few years ago. The issue also lies this takes time and work from both parties (you as the importer, and the wholesaler because they also need to be willing to supply and fill out paperwork on their end).

Certain softies, like dendronephthya, scleronephthya, are not on CITES treaty, but if any softie is attached to natural rock. Then CITES permit needed

 

[CC13]

Certain softies, like dendronephthya, scleronephthya, are not on CITES treaty, but if any softie is attached to natural rock. Then CITES permit needed

Ya softies I am not sure of so thanks for clarifying.

And yes, anything attached to LR or a shell if not restricted by CITES, need to come off before they come across.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I think Mexico you can't ship any live corals

 

[PacificEastAquaculture]

CITES permits are issued by the country of origin of the animal. A coral grown in the US did not originate in the US, is not native to the US (even though may be captive grown), so you can not get a CITES permit for those. However, you can obtain a re-export CITES permit if you are exporting the same corals that came into the US from the country of origin and had a CITES permit. The original import CITES permit is used as the basis for the re-export permit. This is done all the time, to countries all over the world including Canada and Mexico. Obtaining the re-export CITES permit requires that you hold an import/export license and submit the paperwork to the US Fish &Wildlife Service, there is a fee for the permit plus the shipment must be inspected by that service prior to export, fee based, plus you likely would need an import license in your country and likely have an inspection and fee at the destination.

Bottom line, it's time consuming, costly, and not worthwhile unless you are dealing with relatively large shipments.

Having said all this, folks have ordered from US vendors, have their order shipped to a FedEx or UPS facility near the border and bring it into Canada. This is illegal and risky and at least in the US if caught folks face a federal indictment and likely huge fines and federal prison time--this is not joking matter, federal prosecutors can and do pursue these violations aggressively!!

If you wish more info look to the US Fish & Wildlife Service website: https://search.usa.gov/search?utf8=✓&affiliate=fws.gov&query=Importing+corals

The Lacey Act is the law covering this: https://www.fws.gov/international/laws-treaties-agreements/us-conservation-laws/lacey-act.html

Check these cases:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/losang...9/27/live-corals-smuggling-pringles-cans/amp/

https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/p...three-schemes-smuggle-protected-coral-species

https://www.fws.gov/news/ShowNews.cfm?ID=A11C3D24-AC20-11D4-A179009027B6B5D3

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/...itcase-at-miami-international-airport-6523581

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cs...ssman-smuggled-coral-into-us-from-philippines

https://www.flkeysnews.com/news/local/crime/article79611822.html

https://www.oceania-news.com/2017-alleged-head-of-wildlife-smuggling-ring-extradited-from-australia

 

[erky]

My friend got busted taking corals to Mexico. Don't do it! It's a fine amount that reaches 5 digits!

an entire hand, wow, lol kidding...

 

[CC13]

I did not attempt, however customs told me need to have a permit from fish and wildlife, and even with that, he saw coral seized in Atlanta airport.

There were such beautiful anemones I wanted to bring back.

Are anemones covered restricted under CITES? I didn't think they were.

 

[PacificEastAquaculture]

Are anemones covered restricted under CITES? I didn't think they were.

Anemones and most inverts are not covered, Tridacna clams are covered. However, at this moment anemones are part of the ban on exports from Indonesia.