Sweeping ban on importation and interstate transportation

[schmiggle]

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has listed all species in 20 genera of salamanders as injurious wildlife under the Lacey Act, which would make it illegal both to import larvae, adults, and specimens into the US and to move them across state lines. The goal is to stop the introduction of Bsal, a chytrid disease that has decimated fire salamander populations in Europe, into the US. The law will come into effect on January 28th this year.
https://www.federalregister.gov/art...ders-due-to-risk-of-salamander-chytrid-fungus
While I, and many others, support the importation ban, the interstate ban would essentially destroy the salamander hobby in this country and would ban movement of salamanders that may not have chytrid (there is no exception for salamanders found to be chytrid-free).
While almost all of you probably think you don't care because you don't own salamanders and don't plan to own salamanders, you absolutely do if you live in the US or trade with anyone in the US, because of the precedent it sets. If the US Fish and Wildlife Service can put this kind of ban on salamanders, they can do the same for snakes, frogs (which they already tried), lizards, spiders...it becomes much easier when it's already been done. And if there is a mygalomorph disease that makes the US Fish and Wildlife Service want to stop interstate transport of tarantulas, almost anyone who owns tarantulas will be affected.
Also, on the off chance that you actually care about salamanders , this law will probably increase illegal importation, and thus the chances of accidentally importing chytrid.
I will hopefully have more information on how to help (since, as I said, you all want to help) in a bit. In the meantime, I'll settle for trying to increase awareness.

 

[The Snark]

I agree with what the OP said and it has been acknowledged in high up circles this is an ongoing problem with numerous government agencies. They come up with these grandiose plans, war on drugs, war on poverty, war on critical thinking (pardon) on the congressional level prior to having an agency designated or a firm plan in mind how to execute. The result is these mindless enforcement agencies that pretty much are self policing and virtually unapproachable or reproachable.

The Lacey act is a pristine example of this. A congressional act originally intended for the ultra broad area of conservation. It affects and involves numerous other agencies like the BLM and USFWS and grants them sweeping powers with little or no checks and controls. You want the USFWS to back down you have to go to congress if you want to be assured of positive action. The Gibson guitar rosewood importing debacle falls under the same morass as the salamanders and the invasive barnacles falling off the ships in San Fran bay. Ridiculous. Wish there was some way of getting them to get real and rational instead of these sporadic on-a-whim acts and actions.