Customs and Border Protection Media Release

Seahorse export stopped in United States - 25 May 2010

Customs and Border Protection Chief Executive Officer, Michael Carmody, today advised a Senate Estimates Committee that correct procedure was not followed in relation to a recent Australian export of 326 seahorses, which resulted in the consignment being refused by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Mr Carmody said that circumstances surrounding this incident and options for resolution will be further discussed with the exporter directly.

The situation arose when Seahorse Australia, a company based in Tasmania, attended the Launceston Office of Customs and Border Protection on Friday 14 May 2010 and presented a Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) permit for 326 seahorses to be exported to the USA.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) validation process for exports to the USA requires a Customs and Border Protection Officer to stamp, sign and note the total quantity of specimens to be exported on the CITES permit. The total quantity to be exported must match the Export Declaration Notice (EDN).

The Customs and Border Protection officer checked the EDN to ensure the number of specimens were the same as what was written on the DEWHA permit. Once this was check was complete, the officer wrote "confirmed" on the permit, which was then signed, dated and a Customs stamp placed next to the officer’s signature.

On Monday 17 May 2010, Seahorse Australia advised Customs and Border Protection that the USA had rejected the export on the grounds that the number of specimens had not been written on the permit by the Customs and Border Protection officer. Subsequent attempts by Customs and Border Protection to rectify the situation were unsuccessful.

Mr Carmody advised he will reinforce with officers the correct requirements for such exports.

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