USDA cracking down on snail imports

[MaryHM]

Got this from my broker today:

The following procedures regarding tropical fish shipments which contain live snails will take effect immediately. USDA will begin holding and inspecting shipments of tropical fish and/or aquatic plants which may contain live aquatic and land snails. Specimens which are determined to be of quarantine significance will require the following options: re-exportation or destruction. In addtion, all aquatic and terrestrial mollusks require a USDA permit to enter the united states.

Then there was a list of "ok" snail species:
Pila sp.
Pomacea bridgesi
P. canaliculata
P. dolioides
P. ghiesbechti

I'm not familiar with any of those snails. Anyone know what they are or why USDA is doing this?

 

[Anonymous]

Mary - rereading the above post after our last chat - I would seek some clarification because I did some searching on the USDA's website and the only mollusk they seemed to be getting their panties in a twist over was an African one. Reading your post above I don't see any mention of marine animals and I'm wondering if the USDA is concerned with Afican tropical fish and plants i.e. Cichlids and any flora that comes from the rift lakes to prevent the importation of a certain species of FW aquatic snail.

 

[MandarinFish]

I've said it before, I'll say it again...

freshwater snails are a freakin' scourge.

I can't get rid of them fast enough, and I even bought a barb to eat them.

 

[Chucker]

MF- if they're small snails and you have the space, a clown loach can do wonders.

 

[danmhippo]

[ January 18, 2002: Message edited by: danmhippo ]</p>

 

[Anonymous]

I heard about this possibility a few months ago. As far as I know they are rather large fresh water snails.

Glenn

 

[naesco]

Snails eh and its a problem!
Now those in the industry, picture in your minds eye, inspectors from the USDA checking all those fish and corals you are importing and trying to figure out whether a certain butterfly for example, is or is not on the banned list. Cost, delay, deaths.
Now, wouldn't it make better sense to have the industry police itself.

Its time to get off our butts and do something NOW.

[ January 23, 2002: Message edited by: naesco ]</p>

 

[Bill2]

Hmm sounds like more inspections. Just what the inspectors needed, another animal to keep track of.

 

[Anonymous]

This is an issue that has nothing to do with the marine/reef industry. The snails in question are FW snails indigenous to Africa and I would assume only shipments of tropical fish from afica would be subject to inspections.

 

[naesco]

I understand that Mick.
Do you want to have inspectors in OUR industry or do we police ourselves? That is the point I was trying to make.

 

[MaryHM]

Mick,

You assume wrong. Shipments here in LA from places other than Africa have already been held up by USDA. I have stopped importing snails (even the aquacultured ones

) because I don't want to deal with the hassle.

 

[naesco]

Thank you for setting out the facts Mary.
Obviously you and other importers/wholesalers and the 'producers' are frustrated by the hassle.
Buyers are frustrated by the lack of supply.
Maybe the snail thing is a good thing as everyone in the industry will realize that we all lose when the government steps in.
The time for us to clean up our problems ourselves is now before others do.