Broker Power is providing readers with some of the top stories for February 22-25, 2011 in case they were missed last week.
Lacey Act
The Lacey Act and subsequent amendments make it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, or acquire any plant, fish or wildlife obtained in violation of U.S., tribal or foreign law, as well as any injurious wildlife. The law is administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and CBP. APHIS has been implementing Lacey Act declaration requirements since 2009. Lacey Act declarations may be filed by the importer of record or its licensed customs broker, and include information on imported item's species name, value, quantity, and country where it was harvested.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is requesting comments from the public by April 14, 2011 to assist in its review of the Lacey Act Declaration requirements for imported plants and plant products. Once this review is completed, APHIS will submit a report to Congress detailing its results and is authorized to issue certain regulations.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is requesting comments from the public by April 14, 2011 to assist it in its review of the implementation of the Lacey Act Declaration requirements for imported plants and plant products. Once this review is completed, APHIS will submit a report to Congress detailing its results.
Broker Power is providing readers with some of the top stories for January 24-28, 2011 in case they were missed last week.
The Justice Department has announced that Karen Blyth and David Phelps, co-owners of Consolidated Seafood Enterprises Inc. of Arizona and Reel Fish and Seafood Inc. of Florida, pleaded guilty on January 24, 2011 to violating the Lacey Act by purchasing and selling certain falsely labeled catfish and perch in order to avoid certain anti-dumping duties; selling farm-raised shrimp falsely labeled as wild caught; buying fish they knew had been illegally imported into the U.S. etc. Their sentencing is set for May 4, 2011.
On January 13, 2011, Justice Department Assistant Attorney General Moreno gave remarks on the Environment and Natural Resources Division's priorities for 2011, which include strong enforcement of environmental laws and defending federal agency programs and actions. He stated that Lacey Act enforcement is a priority area that includes the criminal prosecution of individuals and corporations who trade in illegally taken fish, wildlife, and plants and that defending EPA's greenhouse gas regulations against petitions for review is one of the Division's highest priorities.
The Justice Department has announced that Rufino Blanco and Claribel Blanco Cuellar, both of Miami, pleaded guilty in federal District Court in Miami on December 22, 2010 to charges related to the attempted importation into the U.S. of 72 undeclared pigeon eggs from Cuba in violation of the Lacey Act.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has posted a comprehensive list of the “Special Case” Codes1 that are currently allowed to be used when completing the Lacey Act Declaration (PPQ 505 - Plant and Plant Product Declaration Form).
On December 1, 2010, the House passed the Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act (S. 1421), which was passed by the Senate on November 17, 2010. The bill would amend the Lacey Act to add the bighead carp of the species Hypophthalmichthys nobilis to the list of injurious species that are prohibited from being shipped or imported into the U.S. (See ITT's Online Archives or 11/18/10 news, 10111805, for BP summary of Senate passage of S. 1421.)
On November 30, 2010, the House is scheduled to consider Senate-passed S. 1421, the Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act. S. 1421, which was passed by the Senate on November 17, 2010. The bill would amend the Lacey Act to add the bighead carp of the species Hypophthalmichthys nobilis to the list of injurious species that are prohibited from being shipped or imported into the U.S.