Is exporting small pieces of live rock to the UK legal?

[Reaper]

Hi Guys,

This is a ‘what if’ question. If I was to order pieces of LR from the US using FedEx, would that be classed as livestock? Yes it’s live but only as beneficial filtration. If it had life on it like algae and various inconspicuous soft coral do you think that will that cause a problem at customs?

 

[MaryHM]

Live Rock requires a CITES permit to export/import. So the short answer is either it would be illegal or extremely expensive to do it legally.

 

[Reaper]

If I had the relevent importers licence, will the export of LR or corals be a problem? I'am after the licence for imports of for non-commercial use. Does such a licence exist?

I've sent an email to CITES a few days ago but have not recieved a reply. It's a simple transaction from the US to the UK, I struggle to see the major issue if the purchase is for non-commercial use!

Some coral frags that have certain colour morphs are only avalible in the US.

The LR or coral is already taken from whatever reef with the legal permits. What exactly do I need to do to make an export of this nature legal, without customs issues delaying the delivery and killing my purchase?

 

[jorcutt]

The thing that is going to prevent you from doing this is that you need the original CITES showing where the rock was imported from. Without that you can't export it.

 

[MaryHM]

That jorcutt post was from me. I was on his computer and didn't realize he had an account here.

 

[Reaper]

Hi Mary,
So do I need the original CITIES from the exporter or does the exporter need this document to send coral to me?

If a hobbyist wanted to send me a small frag or visa versa, would that be easier than going through a business?

 

[MaryHM]

The exporter has to have the original CITES in order to export from the country of origin and import into another country. If you then want to turn around and re-export a pieces of CITES listed coral/rock, you then must have the original CITES permit from the country of origin. The chances of you as a hobbyist getting ahold of this are about 0%.

 

[Reaper]

Mary,


I'd like to buy some True Florida Ricordea from the US, most average at around $7 to $15 a polyp so their not really an endangered species. If I had an exporter in the US with their original CITES, is obtaining an import permit here in the UK all I have to do?

 

[MaryHM]

First of all, price has nothing to do with CITES listed animals. Actually those ricordea are more expensive than many CITES animals. If you're shipping just the polyp and not the substrate, then it may be different, since it's the substrate (rock) that is protected. Contact someone in Florida and someone at customs in England for more information.

 

[Anonymous]

People have had luck shipping corals to other countries by labeling them algae or something else besides corals. This isnt legal but it works. You have to be willing to lose money on the product and shipping if it gets confiscated though.

 

[Reaper]

Algae? I like that one! :lol: I'am suprised that worked, I thought algae would come under plants under the CITIES act?

I went to my lfs in London and he said that the permit will be about £40 a box! I will also have to travel to the airport to collect and I'll be in for at least a 5 hour wait while they quarantine my Ricordea. How stupid, it's not like the vet can do anything to a plastic bag full of shrivelled muchrooms! It will take me 2.5 hours to get back from the airport too! If I rely on FedEx to deliver to my house they may have to wait at the airport if the delivery is late and then charge me for that too! The things I have to for some nice Ric's :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

Ricordea are very hardy and should survive a shipment "across the big pond" If you can do it legit that is best. A $40 charge isnt that bad especially if you get em to multiply in your tank. I am sure you could make back all and more selling em to locals.

 

[Reaper]

It's funny, I'am a Ricordea fanatic and I haven't even got a polyp LOL!
I guess eveyones got a thing for something in reef husbandry. Mines True Florida Ricordea and Acros (not a good mix!). I'll keep the ricordea (eventually) in my refugium and devote the main tank to acros. That way the Ricordea will hopefully retain it's colour without the extremities of the MHs. When I get a US supplier with a CITES showing they obtained their coral legally, their going to get a nice regular cash sum!

 

[Reaper]

Thanks for the replies Mary and Clkohly,

I've got a contact, turns out Rics are not listed with CITES!

 

[MaryHM]

Reaper,

Like I stated earlier, it's not the polyps that are CITES protected, it's the substrate.