[Coral-List] CITES exemption of coral cores?

[GJ Gast]

Dear Jessica,

All parts living or dead of an endangered species are included in the CITES
legislation. Think for example about trade in ivory which causes killing of
elephants only for their tusks. So even coral eggs in alcohol would be
subject to CITES....

You need an export permit from the Belize and an import permit from the US
authorities. The easiest from of paper work is if you transfer your samples
from one scientific institution to another when both have a continuous
permit. Certainly Scripps will have one. I don't know about university or
field stations on Belize. Better make sure you got all the papers in order
before you travel, customs do not make exemptions for scientists.

Best wishes, GJ

-----Original Message-----
From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
[mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Jessica Carilli
Sent: 14 December 2005 01:49
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Subject: [Coral-List] CITES exemption of coral cores?

Dear Coral-listers,
We intend to collect coral cores in Belize and transport them back to the US
for analysis. We won't be transporting live tissue, so I was under the
impression that this skeletal matter is exempt from CITES.  However, trying
to find documentation supporting this is proving to be difficult and I'm
wondering if skeletal samples from live corals are indeed covered by CITES?

If they are exempt, does anyone have suggestions as to specific documents I
can have on hand to show the customs officials?
Thanks very much,
Jessica Carilli
-------------------------------------
Graduate Student
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
9500 Gilman Dr. 0208
La Jolla, CA 92093-0208
office: 858-822-2355
Vaughan Hall 209
mobile: 760-815-2629


 
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