Tonga Closes

[liverock]

FYI

US Fish and Wildlife have closed all imports from Tonga, as of three days ago.

This means no more corals, or live rock can be imported into the US from Tonga.

This will be a huge hit to the industry as the supply of live rock and corals continues to diminish from overseas.

Richard TBS

 

[bonerfortuna]

So whats the bad part, should we harvest it till there is nothing left. Give it a chance to re grow and Im sure the industry will find other areas to pillage.

 

[DevilBoy]

this is very sad and also a shame. Some of the best looking live rock is from tonga. I really like the Kaelini

 

[dwd5813]

IF this is a result of studies finding that the natural reefs are being severely negatively impacted through the removal of rock and coral from the area, then I say.. GOOD. either way, i think it's important to keep up with the research and development of aquacultural practices that may, some time in the future, eliminate the need for this hobby to take from nature at all.

 

[TacoKing]

Richard,

Could you explain me something quick..

I thought USFWS had already blocked the import of all CITES species from non CITES participating countries a while ago? Tonga has been imported to the US for quite some time and is one of the primary exporters of live rock. Live rock, being scleractinia sp., a CITES listed species should have always been denied.

Or am I totally wrong and USFWS has been allowing non-CITES countries to export to the states for ages?

 

[liverock]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12449287#post12449287 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TacoKing
Richard,

Could you explain me something quick..

I thought USFWS had already blocked the import of all CITES species from non CITES participating countries a while ago? Tonga has been imported to the US for quite some time and is one of the primary exporters of live rock. Live rock, being scleractinia sp., a CITES listed species should have always been denied.

Or am I totally wrong and USFWS has been allowing non-CITES countries to export to the states for ages?

I guess the answer is Tonga is a member of CITIES, or USFW would not issue CITIES permits for them to export/import to the US or at least used to up until 3 days ago...

 

[hahnmeister]

Or they have enacted conservation measures which have made collection impossible... much like Fiji.

 

[mbbuna]

Tonga is not a member of Cites. non member countries can export to member countries as long as they filed out the right paper work. this latest closure affects countries that didnt update there paper work. its my understanding that all these countries need to do to be able to export again is do the paper work

heres a list of Cites participants http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/parties/alphabet.shtml

there's a lot of countries we get corals and such from that are not on that list

 

[mbbuna]

see attachment

 

[pagojoe]

Interesting. Looks like CITES can exert their authority over the non-member countries whether they like it or not...

 

[Bebo77]

wow... i wonder why they have not updated the paperwork

 

[Walt Smith]

Hi All,
I have put a few post on the other thread so you can check out some of the legal matters involved on this. Below is my latest post on that thread.
Regarding the depletion of the resource comments and especially BONAFORTUNA unfortunate statement no one works harder for the conservation of reefs than me with constantly implementing studies at our our cost and hiring scientist to establish (and use) a reef management plan to not only insure the sustainability of our harvest but to add much needed dollars to an economy that has little other source of income.

Technically there is no ban. However the thing that is wrong with CITES is a little more complicated that crossing a few T’s and dotting some I’s. Tonga has not filed with CITES the required documents that will allow them to export CITES items such as hard coral, live rock, soft coral with substrate attached. What is required is that they report the names and numbers of the people on the scientific committee and the management authority that sets the quota and is qualified to issue a non detriment finding which must appear on the permit.
Well to make a long story short Tonga does not have a scientific committee and it could take months before they establish one. We are looking into the possibility of the SC and the MA being the same body of people and could possibly pull it off since the MA is the Fisheries department who issue the permit in the first place. This is our only chance to avoid a many months delay and most companies there will not last through this.
The really big concern is that Fisheries was already trying to BAN live rock and cut the coral quota in half. That is why I was there in the first place to deal with this threat. I finally convinced the Economic Council to have Fisheries lay off the BAN until a proper study was done since they had none and were anxious to ban us based on hearsay from some jealous village fishermen. How fast do you think they will move when they realize that the US and CITES has already done their dirty work for them?
Maybe I out to start selling shoes … oh no! that means leather and all sorts of other issues. Size 9 anyone?
Walt

 

[DevilBoy]

Is this the same thing that has happened with Marshall Island rock?

 

[Walt Smith]

Yes, that is what the inspector I have been dealing with has told me. Also Cook Islands are subject to this but I do not think that they ship any CITES stuff. The Solomon Islands had the same problem but they fixed it in two days.
Walt