Legality of Caribbean stony corals on maricultured live rock?

[Eric C. Newton]

Dia 22 Aug 2000, na 12:03, J. Charles Delbeek a skirbi:

> On Tue, 22 Aug 2000 capman at augsburg.edu wrote:
> 
> > As I understand it, the maricultured live rock being produced in the
> > Florida Keys and elsewhere for the aquarium trade is often colonized
> > by a variety of different stony coral species.  Does anyone on the
> > list know enough about the CITES regulations (which as I understand it
> > prohibit the keeping of Caribbean stony corals in aquaria) to say
> > whether keeping these otherwise illegal corals in aquaria is legal if
> > they crop up on legally produced cultivated live rock?
> 
> Bill: I don't think it is illegal to keep any stony corals in
> captivity. CITIES is primarily a tracking system to help keep track of
> the movement of organisms around the world as well as to regulate their
> export and import. I do not believe Caribbean corals are treated any
> differently by CITIES than say stony corals from Fiji. What DOES differ
> are the regulations of individual countries and states as to collection
> and import/export live coral. For example, it is illegal to collect
> stony corals in Hawaii, it is illegal to export stony corals and it is
> illegal to import soft and stony corals, unless you have the necessary
> permits.
> 
> Regarding the coral that settles out on aquacultured live rock in
> Florida waters, this is perfectly legal according to state regulations
> concerning live rock aquaculture. These sites are situated in open sandy
> plains, far from any actual reefs. The feeling is that any corals or
> other organisms that settle on rock in these barren areas, would not
> have settled there to begin with.
> 
> Aloha
> J. Charles Delbeek

Still, a CITES permit is needed if this live rock is exported. As corals 
are listed on Appendix II of CITES, such a permit can be issued if a 
Scientific Authority declares that this export will not be detrimental to 
the survival of the species in the wild, which will probably be the case.

Cheers,



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Eric C. Newton
Neth. Antilles
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