Home 4 The Holidays - importing clams and such
 

Just wondering... I'm going back to Southern California for a week over X-mas and never paid any attention on what the regulations are on importing livestock from the US to Canada...? Anyone know off hand?

JT

Ya, basically you can't. All SPS and clams require CITES permits. Big hassle for private people tryig to do it, and a bit costly.

You could just try NOT declaring whatever you bring in, just a general statement about Xmas gifts...

BTW, if you will be returning after Jan 1, I hope you have your new identity card. I'm told they will be fairly strict about this at the border crossings effective Jan 1.

Above advice would likely lead to arrest, large fines, and possibly jail time... Even if you just bring fish over the border you will need to pay a fish and wildlife tarrif, all corals, live rock, and clams, will need a cities permit.

Actually....... bring fish back is not a problem, as long as you are not a business. I would never try corals & live rock though.

Cheers,
Victor

Man... oh well.. I would be returning Dec. 26th actually, I'm on call the 28th for CCU unfortunately. Darn... and I'm sure there would be so many beautiful clams/frags down south :redface:

I'm doing a research project at VGH/SPH... could I say I'm using tridacna clams to discover a cure for prostate cancer? LoL.

I've heard a few accounts of people (some Canreefers even) bringing livestock back without being fined or jailed. They declared it as livestock for their reef tanks. I've never heard of an individual going to jail or getting fined (Not that it can't happen). Does anyone know of an individual (not a business) that was fined or jailed after they told the border officials that they are bring back corals for their fish tank? I'm just curious.

Go for it Sam. Then you can tell us how you make out.... :razz: :lol:

Has anyone here actually told a border official they had corals for their aquarium? I know some people "forgot" to mention it, but has anyone been upfront and still been allowed to keep it?

Not sure they have Internet access in the slammer!! :razz:

I bet if you told the customs officals you had a clam They would probably be like "oh well have a good super" :rolleyes: :lol:

As you're an American citizen, you may be able to claim that it normally lives in your tank in CA, to which you will be returning it, but while you're here, you wanted to have it with you.

Yep, born and raised in CA, got my permanent resident status in Canada a year ago.

JT

I kinda wonder if they'd smack the whole food importation thing down on you. Isn't bringing fruits and veggies across the border illegal?

As far as I know, softies are not listed under CITES? I could be wrong though. And that doesn't mean that they're not restricted in some other way.

I think it really depends on the mood of the guard at the border. I would also speculate that you'd get different treatment crossing near Vancouver versus, say, Coutts or Waterton. "Gorsh pardner, watcha gonna do with that there ding dangly old clam?"

So if you look at CITES.org and see Appendices I,II,III it lists
Tridacnidae spp. and the following coral as endangered:

1. Helioporidae spp.
2. Tubiporidae spp.
3. Antipatharia spp.
4. Scleractinia spp.
5. Stolonifera spp.
6. Milleporidae spp.
7. Stylasteridae spp.

JT

I dont remember where the article is but I have heard of people bringing unclaimed corals and such across the border and getting huge fines + jail time, I believe 2 years and $50,000.00 in one case.
There are others that have been nabbed too. Any coral or anything attached to rock, or clams, or endangered species, needs cities permits.
If the border people are doing their job you will need to show documentation for each animal you have in your possesion, scientific names, quantity, and cost. I know I wouldnt risk it.

I heard that placing your used ginch inside out at the upper most part of your bagage helps in these cases :lol:

Hey Guys,
Came back from Hawaii last May after a vacation. Didn't bring back any reef stuff, but I brought back these really cool bonsai ficus plants. Had permit type literature attached to it, and it was all sealed and packed. The greenhouse I bought them from said it was not a problem with customs. They were wrong. We declared the stuff, and customs confiscated the stuff saying the permits were not correct for Canada. I'm sure it made a nice desk decoration for a customs agent. I don't think you would get jail or fines, but the stuff would get confiscated, and surely die a slow death in their possesion. Just my .02.

Mike