More on European coral import restrictions (fwd)
J. Charles Delbeek
delbeek at hawaii.edu
Tue Oct 12 08:09:50 EDT 1999
For those asking about the proposed ban on coral imports into the EU ...
Charles
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 23:10:55 -1000
From: Svein A. Fossa <sfossa at online.no>
Subject: More on European coral import restrictions
A brief update on the coral import situation in the European Union:
An extensive search, through personal contacts as well as on the Internet,
has revealed that the new regulations on Scleractinia trade within EU
pertain to the following:
The EU Scientific Review Group has, in meeting 16.09.1999, raised negative
opinions (see explanation below) on the import of the following species
from Indonesia:
Blastomussa merleti
Cynarina lacrymalis
Trachyphyllia geoffroyi
Euphyllia divisa
Euphyllia glabrescens
Plerogyra simplex
In order to explain the importance of SRG opinions, I have copied the
following from http://www.wcmc.org.uk/species/trade/eu/traderef.html :
Opinions of the Scientific Review Group (SRG)
These may exist in cases where the SRG has examined whether or not imports
in particular circumstances would comply with the conservation requirements
of Regulation 338/97. The SRG opinion may change rapidly if new information
about the trade or conservation status of a species in a particular country
of origin becomes available. The opinion of the SRG will normally be
followed by individual Scientific Authorities but is only indicative and
Scientific Authorities of Member States can give a different opinion to
that of the SRG (e.g. if new information becomes available). Where there is
no SRG opinion, the decision about whether or not the conservation
requirements of Regulation 338/97 are met will be taken by the Scientific
Authority of the Member State in question. Should they find that the
conditions are not met, this information will be immediately relayed to the
other Member States and a uniform position adopted by all Member States.
Community import restrictions
When the SRG has given a negative opinion about the acceptability of the
imports of a certain species from a certain country of origin (or in the
case of species suffering high mortality in transport, unlikely to survive
in captivity, or proven to cause ecological threat to native species), the
European Commission will consult with the country of origin concerned and
may subsequently establish a binding import restriction, which will be
published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Member
States will respect these restrictions until such time as they are lifted.
Current Opinions and Restrictions
The EU Wildlife Trade Reference Database below shows the current SRG
opinions and community import restrictions. It can be used as an INDICATION
about whether or not an import permit might be issued in particular
circumstances.
However it should be clearly understood that firstly all other conditions
(valid export permit, suitable housing conditions for live animals etc.)
for the issue of a permit must be met, and secondly that the conservation
circumstances surrounding species can and do change and this may result in
a different consequence than that implied by the entries in the EU Wildlife
Trade Reference Database tables.
--- end of quote ---
To find an overview of regulations pertaining to individual species of
Scleractinia - search from
http://www.wcmc.org.uk/species/trade/eu/database.htm
Best wishes,
Svein A. Fossa
AKVARIEKONSULENTEN
Bioddgaten 17
NO-4878 Grimstad, Norway
Tel: +47 37 09 18 88
Fax: +47 37 04 30 29
E-mail: sfossa at online.no
The Modern Coral Reef Aquarium Web Site:
http://www.mcra.com/
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