New regulations for exporting animals/plants from Australia

[Alastair.Graham at CSIRO.AU]

G'day everyone

I apologize for the cross postings.

The information below is posted for the benefit of those wishing to borrow
dead specimens from Australian museums & other institutions.  Please contact
Environment Australia for further information.

New regulations have come into force, concerning the export of dead animals
& plants from Australia for scientific study.  Environment Australia is now
administering a new Facilitated Scientific Exchange Scheme allowing the
transfer of non-CITES native Australian species and/or CITES-listed species.
All Australian institutions that are involved in the transfer of dead
specimens (either non-CITES native Australian or CITES-listed species) have
been sent notification that they will need to re-register with EA, if they
wish to continue transferring specimens overseas.

It is now illegal for an Australian institution, to send (on loan or gift)
either non-CITES native Australian species or CITES-listed species (museum
or herbarium material) to a foreign institution unless the foreign
institution is either CITES registered in their own country or registered
with Environment Australia for non-CITES native Australian species.

I have received the following information from Environment Australia.

>From 11 January 2002, Australia has new legislation governing the export of
native wildlife and wildlife products, the import of endangered species and
the import of live animals and plants. The new laws have been incorporated
into the Commonwealth's principal environment legislation, the Environment
Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

Please note that organisations previously registered under the Wildlife
Protection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1982 will need to
re-register under the EPBC Act.  Previous registrations will no longer be
recognised

FACILITATED SCIENTIFIC EXCHANGE
Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
(Sub-sections 303CC(3), 303CD(5) and 303DD(4)) scientific organisations may
exchange (export or import) certain specimens of CITES listed species and
regulated Australian native specimens without a permit from Environment
Australia, provided it is part of an exchange of registered non-commercial
scientific specimens.

This exemption from requiring a permit for certain scientific specimens is
designed to facilitate scientific study, including study into the
conservation, management, identification, classification and taxonomy of
species.

CITES listed specimens
Where the specimens are derived from species listed on the Appendices to the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES) the scientific institution must be registered with the CITES
Management Authority of their Country (for Australian institutions this is
Environment Australia).

Non-CITES listed Australian native specimens
Both the Australian and overseas scientific organisation's must be
registered with Environment Australia to participate in the facilitated
scientific exchange system for Australian native species not listed under
CITES.

Please note that an overseas organisation which is already registered for
exchange of CITES specimens does not need an additional registration for the
purpose of exchanging non-CITES native specimens.

To qualify for a permit exemption the exchange must meet the following
criteria:
*       the specimen is being lent, given or exchanged without monetary
compensation;
*       the specimen is not a live animal;
*       the specimen was legally obtained.


Application forms can be obtained from Environment Australia
Phone: +61 2 6274 1900
Fax: +61 2 02 6274 1921
Email: wps at ea.gov.au

Overseas Organisations
For CITES registration, organisations should contact their country's CITES
Management Authority.

For non-CITES Australian native specimen exchange only, overseas
organisations should register with Environment Australia.



Here are some useful websites:

List of CITES registered institutions:
http://www.cites.org/common/notifs/2001/Reg_SI.pdf

List of CITES contacts for each country:
http://www.cites.org/common/directy/e_directy.html

List of exempt Australian native species:
http://www.ea.gov.au/biodiversity/trade-use/lists/exempt/index.html

Cheers

Alastair Graham

------------------------------------------------------------------
Alastair (Al) Graham
Fish Collection
& Photographic Index of Australian Fishes (PIAF) Manager

CSIRO Marine Research                       Phone: (03) 6232 5222
GPO Box 1538                                        Int: (61-3) 6232 5222
Hobart  Tas  7001                                  Fax:     (03) 6232 5000
AUSTRALIA                                             Int: (61-3) 6232 5000

E-mail: Alastair.Graham at csiro.au
Division website: http://www.marine.csiro.au
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