USFW proposal to regulate pet amphibian movement could end our hobby

[John]

The USFW is moving toward regulating the movement of amphibians between states in the USA due to a presumed further threat of the spread of the amphibian disease known as chytrid. Sadly, pet frog keepers will suffer the most from this and it's time for us to do something about it before it's too late. I have attached a PDF format file of the posting by the USFW service in the US Federal Register detailing the proposal so you can read it for yourself.

Reading between the lines, this new proposal for regulation of amphibian movement between US states, as well as into the US would effectively cripple the ability of people (that's you and me) to keep amphibians as pets. If you breed your frogs, they would require an official certification of being chytrid free in order for you to send them to hobbyists outside your state, and if you ever had to move home to another state, you would require certification to bring your pet newts and frogs with you. To do otherwise would be breaking federal law under the Lacey Act. "Permits may be issued for scientific, medical, educational, or zoological purposes." That does not include hobbyists like you and I. You would have to have your animals tested for chytrid (which would realistically have to be done regularly for the same animals). This would not be free and not something that can happen over night. In my opinion, this will effectively kill the concept of keeping amphibians as pets in the USA.

Sadly, this is the big one for us. Having read the proposal in detail, I see little merit to it - chytrid is out there, every where to some degree in the US at this point. The majority of the damage is done, in my opinion. The argument that new strains of chytrid could wreak further havoc on wildlife has some merit, but pet keepers are not the primary source of the spread of this disease, and thus should not have to suffer for the USFW's inability to specifically regulate bait fishing trade and the food industry.

This is the big letter writing campaign we need to get on right away, or our hobby may never be the same. In the past, many of us have been content to sit back and let reptile enthusiasts do the letter writing and hard work to prevent previous legal threats to the greater reptile and amphibian hobby. We don't have them to back us up this time - this proposed regulation is specifically about amphibians (frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, and caecilians), not snakes, not lizards, and not turtles. We are the ones who have to act.

The following is taken from reptilechannel.com and is written by Andrew Wyatt of USARK (a pro reptile and amphibian hobby legal organisation). It also contains links and info on what you and I can do to help prevent this coming to pass.

Non-Native Amphibians with Chytrid Fungus
The USFWS gets request that non-native amphibians be considered for inclusion in the injurious wildlife regulations under the Lacey Act, unless declared free of chytrid fungus.
September 17, 2010

By Andrew Wyatt

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is reviewing a petition to list in trade, under the Lacey Act, all live amphibians or their eggs as injurious unless certified as free of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (chytrid fungus).

According to the document, the importation and introduction of live amphibians infected with chytrid fungus into the natural ecosystems of the United States may pose a threat to interests of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, or to wildlife or the wildlife resources of the United States. An injurious wildlife listing would prohibit the importation of live amphibians or their eggs infected with chytrid fungus into, or transportation between, States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or possession of the United States by any means, without a permit. Permits may be issued for scientific, medical, educational, or zoological purposes. The document seeks information from the public to aid in determining if a proposed rule is warranted.

On September 9, 2009, Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar received a petition from the Defenders of Wildlife requesting that live amphibians or their eggs in trade be considered for inclusion in the injurious wildlife regulations (50 CFR part 16) under the Lacey Act (18 U.S.C. 42) unless they are free of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (chytrid fungus). The Defenders of Wildlife state they are concerned that unregulated trade – primarily for pet use and as live animals for consumption as frog legs – continues to threaten the survival of many amphibian species, including domestic and foreign species listed by the Service under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), candidate species, and other species.

Deadline
The USFWS will consider information received or postmarked on or before December 16, 2010.

Submit
You may submit comments by one of the following methods.

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. FWS-R9-FHC-2009-0093.

U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-R9-FHC-2009-0093, Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 222, Arlington, VA 22203.

Additional Information Contact
Susan Jewell, Branch of Aquatic Invasive Species, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 770, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203; telephone 703-358-2416. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339.

Andrew Wyatt is the President of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK) and has been an avid herp enthusiast for more than 35 years. He has traveled the world and has had his animals featured in a number of television productions. For more information about USARK, click here.