Loophole in Asian Aro ban?

[Rome]

Since i entered the hobby I have wanted an Asian arowana. General assumption is that they are banned in the USA. I have been researching and from what I have found, there are 2 legal documents blocking their importation, assuming they are captive bred, CITES and the ESA. The reason why many other people can import the asian aros into their countries is because they are documented captive bred offspring from captive bred parents. The breeders/importers provide the CITES documentation in the form of the chip, making CITES a non issue for the US hobbyist.

This leaves the ESA, which is the reason why they cannot be imported into the USA. If one would have a recorded species of captive bred asian aro with any other non protected aro such as inscriptus, jardinii, or leichardti, I believe it falls under the Hybrid exclusion of the ESA, and there for be totally LEGAL in the USA.


Specifically:

"Hybrids. Hybrids of animals or plants
bred or propagated in captivity that
result from one listed parent and one
non-listed parent are exempt from the
requirements of
the Act."

Does this make sense?

I also do not know how easily aros hybridize. Having little contact with asian aro market in the US they may not cross at all, but it may not be true. Also the newly discovered aro may hybridize a savior for the USA!

 

[batang_mcdo]

I don't think you can cross breed Asian aro with jardinii, or leichardti.
Also not really sure, but Scleropages inscriptus might also be considered Asian Aro?

 

[Wiggles92]

There are many other factors that make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the average private citizen to legally acquire & possess an Asian arowana.

However, technically speaking from a "letter of the law" standpoint, it would be possible to get any species other than S. formosus provided that any applicable CITES stuff is taken care of & the U.S. government recognizes said new species. If the various new species that were derived from the old S. formosus complex are accepted by the U.S. government, then all Asian arowanas would probably become legal as pretty much all of the Asian arowanas in captivity would be hybrids to an extent or would fall under S. formosus; of course then, this is all provided that the government wouldn't remove said loophole.

 

[iwiied]

imo, in order for the law to recognize your "new specie", it will have to at least look different than the normal asian arowanan. which kinda defeat the purpose trying to bring in asian arowana.