I have heard that you can own an Asian Arrowana in the states as long as it is chipped and has all of the CITES paperwork which I would imagine would cost a small fortune (or a big one)
asian aro w/CITES
- Thread starter rweedon
- Start date
The reason Scleropages formosus is illegal in the U.S. is not its CITES Appendix I listing, but the fact that it is separately regulated under the Endangered Species Act. Thus, even if you have all the CITES documentation, you still run afoul of the ESA.
icthyophile said:
yep icthyophile is correct its still illegal whether you have papers or not.
dixon
The answer lies on the propagating program of the arowana farm keepers, which is all commercial and thus has no intent on restocking the population in the wild. Until the asian aro remains scarce in the wild, the ESA act will still be on effect on the Scleropages Formosus.
What hurts is that they are bred easily in farms and rarely do you find an exported asian aro that is wild caught. But that fact seems to be overlooked by the US Government. Until the asian aro farms start restocking the rivers where asian aros are native of, we probably wont see legal asian aros being sold here in the US.
What hurts is that they are bred easily in farms and rarely do you find an exported asian aro that is wild caught. But that fact seems to be overlooked by the US Government. Until the asian aro farms start restocking the rivers where asian aros are native of, we probably wont see legal asian aros being sold here in the US.
Must be time to repost this lil ditty
John Field, Fisheries Specialist
Division of Scientific Authority
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 750
Arlington, VA 22203
USA
Thank you for your email concerning the importation and potential
downlisting of Asian bonytongue, Scleropages formosus under the Endangered
Species Act (ESA). I have reviewed your email carefully, and would like to
share the perspective of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on this
issue of international importance.
The species was listed as endangered in 1976 under the U.S. Endangered
Species Act. Endangered foreign species, such as S. formosus, cannot be
imported to the United States for primarily commercial purposes even if
they are captive-bred. Importation for personal or hobby use would be
considered commercial activity. Furthermore, any importation of an
endangered species, captive-bred or not, must enhance the status of the
species in the wild in some direct way. In the past, the USFWS has
approved the import of small numbers of bonytongue for research and
captive-breeding purposes. The applicants in these cases are involved in
research or re-introduction programs that should help bolster wild
populations of the fish. Importation of farm-raised and selectively bred
bonytongue does not, in our view, enhance the wild populations directly.
While captive-bred populations of S. formosus may be abundant in Southeast
Asia, their use does not necessarily encourage the conservation of wild
populations and may result in unsustainable harvest for breeding stock.
These fears have been echoed by Indonesian scientists who I've consulted
while visiting the country and examining arowana farms.
It's important to note that these provisions of the ESA apply regardless of
the status of the species in the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), but that body has
recently concurred with an Indonesian report that the species remains
endangered throughout its range. There are no current or planned research
initiatives known from any range country (Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia,
Laos, Vietnam, and Indonesia) to study the conservation status of wild S.
formosus. Thus, there is no known scientific basis for downlisting from
threatened to endangered under the ESA in any part of the species' range.
Until data are presented to the USFWS or gathered, it appears that
downlisting is not warranted.
If we can obtain information that indicates that wild Asian arowanas are no
longer in danger of extinction, the USFWS will prioritize the species for
downlisting to threatened status. I am developing research initiatives to
gather this information. If the species is in fact downlisted to
threatened status, U.S. hobbyists could import captive-bred specimens with
the appropriate ESA and CITES permits. If you would like to learn more
about the Endangered Species Act, please visit our website at
http://endangered.fws.gov/. If you would like to learn more about the
USFWS, foreign species, and CITES, visit our website at
http://international.fws.gov/
Thank you for your interest in and committment to the conservation of Asian
bonytongue. I look forward to working with dedicated members of the public
such as yourself as we continue our investigations of this species'
recovery in the wild.
John Field, Fisheries Specialist
Division of Scientific Authority
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 750
Arlington, VA 22203
USA
And further
They are CITES protected but that is not what makes them illegal here, they are listed by the U.S. Endangered Species Act and this is what makes them illegal. Many things that are available here are CITES protected including but not limited to Zebra Plecos, Arapaima, etc.
CITES paperwork is generally easy to get for most animals providing the steps are all correctly followed, it usually takes 2 weeks or so and requires a permit fee be paid.
Legally owning an Asian Aro in this country requires that it was placed into your care by an organization like a zoo that could no longer care for it, you must be able to prove ownership back to the zoo......even if you are the 3rd person that has owned it since the zoo released it
John Field, Fisheries Specialist
Division of Scientific Authority
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 750
Arlington, VA 22203
USA
Thank you for your email concerning the importation and potential
downlisting of Asian bonytongue, Scleropages formosus under the Endangered
Species Act (ESA). I have reviewed your email carefully, and would like to
share the perspective of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on this
issue of international importance.
The species was listed as endangered in 1976 under the U.S. Endangered
Species Act. Endangered foreign species, such as S. formosus, cannot be
imported to the United States for primarily commercial purposes even if
they are captive-bred. Importation for personal or hobby use would be
considered commercial activity. Furthermore, any importation of an
endangered species, captive-bred or not, must enhance the status of the
species in the wild in some direct way. In the past, the USFWS has
approved the import of small numbers of bonytongue for research and
captive-breeding purposes. The applicants in these cases are involved in
research or re-introduction programs that should help bolster wild
populations of the fish. Importation of farm-raised and selectively bred
bonytongue does not, in our view, enhance the wild populations directly.
While captive-bred populations of S. formosus may be abundant in Southeast
Asia, their use does not necessarily encourage the conservation of wild
populations and may result in unsustainable harvest for breeding stock.
These fears have been echoed by Indonesian scientists who I've consulted
while visiting the country and examining arowana farms.
It's important to note that these provisions of the ESA apply regardless of
the status of the species in the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), but that body has
recently concurred with an Indonesian report that the species remains
endangered throughout its range. There are no current or planned research
initiatives known from any range country (Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia,
Laos, Vietnam, and Indonesia) to study the conservation status of wild S.
formosus. Thus, there is no known scientific basis for downlisting from
threatened to endangered under the ESA in any part of the species' range.
Until data are presented to the USFWS or gathered, it appears that
downlisting is not warranted.
If we can obtain information that indicates that wild Asian arowanas are no
longer in danger of extinction, the USFWS will prioritize the species for
downlisting to threatened status. I am developing research initiatives to
gather this information. If the species is in fact downlisted to
threatened status, U.S. hobbyists could import captive-bred specimens with
the appropriate ESA and CITES permits. If you would like to learn more
about the Endangered Species Act, please visit our website at
http://endangered.fws.gov/. If you would like to learn more about the
USFWS, foreign species, and CITES, visit our website at
http://international.fws.gov/
Thank you for your interest in and committment to the conservation of Asian
bonytongue. I look forward to working with dedicated members of the public
such as yourself as we continue our investigations of this species'
recovery in the wild.
John Field, Fisheries Specialist
Division of Scientific Authority
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 750
Arlington, VA 22203
USA
And further
They are CITES protected but that is not what makes them illegal here, they are listed by the U.S. Endangered Species Act and this is what makes them illegal. Many things that are available here are CITES protected including but not limited to Zebra Plecos, Arapaima, etc.
CITES paperwork is generally easy to get for most animals providing the steps are all correctly followed, it usually takes 2 weeks or so and requires a permit fee be paid.
Legally owning an Asian Aro in this country requires that it was placed into your care by an organization like a zoo that could no longer care for it, you must be able to prove ownership back to the zoo......even if you are the 3rd person that has owned it since the zoo released it