Exporting Corals

[Reef Goddess]

Hi guys!

I run an online coral store. I have a few international clients that have been bugging me to ship to them so I am going through the process of getting my Import/Export license and my CITES for re-export. I realize this may not be a quick and easy thing, but it is very worth while if I can get it to work out.

Like many things on the industry side of this hobby, getting information from other people in the biz has been like pulling teeth. Certain people have told me I need CITES permits for some corals which I have found out I don't, so its obvious they were just trying to discourage me from exporting. I don't intend to become a huge wholesaler so I think its silly there is so much misinformation, but so be it.

Are there any good brokers out there for this sort of thing? What are the better airlines to ship with? Any help you guys would be willing to give me, if any, would be much appreciated. Otherwise I'll just do this the hard way.

 

[Vili_Shark]

I think you have to check first the import regulations in the countries you want to export to, as some are just impossible to export to and you might work hard for nothing.

For exporting from America you will probably need a re export Cites (Im not there so I dont know), then Health cert + cites and all other documents for the importing country you will have to check with your clients as it is different from country to country.

 

[Anonymous]

If it's a CITES item you will need the original CITES permit to apply for the re-export permit from what I have been told. Call US Fish and Wildlife Service. BTW it matters not if it was a frag or a colony. They are all looked at the same by US F & W S.

 

[Reef Goddess]

Thanks, I'm getting that from the original sellers. Do non-CITES corals still need to go through F&W? I'm going to ask them in person, but since I'm here already. ;]

Can you guys recommend any airlines over others?

 

[JeremyR]

Someone from europe was telling me at Macna that zoanthids on cement disks can just be sent fedex, no cites required. He said the key was making sure they were on a man made object, not live rock. By no means take that as direct knowledge on my part.

 

[JeremyR]

So I emailed F&W on the zoanthid export.. they said you have to have the import/export license which is $100, each shipment has to be cleared at a designated port which costs $55, and you have to have a listing of all species of zoanthid in the box.

 

[Reef Goddess]

Well, I spoke with an agent local to me and he said that as long as you can prove that the coral you're sending is truly aquacultured then its not a problem. But this has to be for non-Cites corals. Aquacultured sps, etc still need permits. The CITES appl I'm working on right now is $75, not $55. Maybe the prices have gone up?

I have my aquaculture license and its pretty obvious that my corals are grown and not just super glued and sold so that part shouldn't be a problem. I know in the past it has been the live rock that the ricordia come on that was the issue, not so much the ricordia itself.

Anyone interested in some nice aqua-cultured ricordia? I'm starting to have a bunch now, rare colors too. All 1.5-2+" overgrowing their tiles. ;p