[Coral-List] reply to "selling coral" post

[Charles Delbeek]

Sarah.Friastorres at noaa.gov wrote:
> Dear coral-listers,
> in the web site provided by Ed Blume on "selling coral" 
> http://www.steventhornedesign.com/store/front
> Steven Thorne claims to be the "only licensed UK and European 
> distributor of coral from the Great Australian Barrier Reef". The site 
> clearly has a commercial purpose (=wants to sell the corals).
>
> Let's review CITES, the Convention of International Trade in 
> Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna. I think it's appropriate 
> since Australia and all the countries in the European Union (including 
> UK) are members of and have ratified CITES.
>
> All stony corals (Scleractinia) are listed under Appendix I CITES, 
> with the exception of coral fossils listed under app. II. For the look 
> of the photographs at the site, it seems they are live (non-fossil 
> corals) that have been killed and cleaned. 
> Appendix I CITES PROHIBITS INTERNATIONAL TRADE in specimens of the 
> species listed because they are in danger of extinction. The only 
> exception are imports of such species for non commercial purposes 
> (i.e. scientific research). Further exceptions apply (Under Article 
> VII) if the corals have been propagated in captivity (which is not the 
> case here). 
>
> So, what do you suggest should be the next step now?
>
> Sarah Frias-Torres, PhD
> CIMAS-RSMAS University of Miami & MRAG Americas
>   

Unless something has changed recently, I believe that all Scleractinia 
are _*NOT*_ CITES Appendice I animals, they are Appendice II. Therefore 
trade is legal.

http://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.shtml

You appear to have misinterpreted the table in the link above.

Aloha!

- 
J. Charles Delbeek M.Sc.
Aquarium Biologist III
Waikiki Aquarium
University of Hawaii
2777 Kalakaua Ave.
Honolulu, HI, 96815

(808) 923-9741 VOICE
(808) 923-1771 FAX