# Ban on importing apple snails....



## Jazzy B Bunny

I work in a tropical fish shop and today we have been informed of the perminant import ban of the genus pomacea. This is due to them being an invasive species in Spain.
Imports of plants must also be certified apple snail free. Which means the cost of these will also increase.

This I'm my eyes is very serious and it sounds like they are starting to take action....

I believe this info is availble on the OATA website.


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## Mynki

There are many fish species already banned from entering the UK. Over the last 15 years or so the numbers have decreased slowly and will continue to do so. Not good news.


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## Lacerta.

We received the same news! To me it seems like a bit of a knee jerk reaction, I appreciate that invasive species can cause massive problems in any eco system but surely it is unlikely. Apple snails rarely do well in cold water aquaria, they may well lay eggs but in our experience these don’t hatch unless in more tropical waters. Just my opinion on the situation.


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## NickBenger

I'm a complete aquarium noob. So excuse any noobyness, but don't apple snails breed very well in captivity?I mean is there likely to be a shortage of them due to this ban?


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## Lacerta.

Yes they do breed like rabbits when they get doing lol


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## Tarron

NickBenger said:


> I'm a complete aquarium noob. So excuse any noobyness, but don't apple snails breed very well in captivity?I mean is there likely to be a shortage of them due to this ban?


I don know much about apple snails, but what I do know is that this banning, and other banning that are or may take place, could have profound effects on the importation of species across all areas of pet keeping, from fish, inverts all the way to large mammals.
If you've not seen it already, check out the fbh website or Google Europe conference on invasive species. Worrying reading at points.


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## NickBenger

Tarron said:


> I don know much about apple snails, but what I do know is that this banning, and other banning that are or may take place, could have profound effects on the importation of species across all areas of pet keeping, from fish, inverts all the way to large mammals.
> If you've not seen it already, check out the fbh website or Google Europe conference on invasive species. Worrying reading at points.


I know, I was just curious about this individual species. I know it could lead to more general bans. You're right it is worrying, it will only drive the trade underground and surely noone wants that. Hopefully we will overcome this opposition although I think there will be opposition to the trade for a long time yet, probably in lots of different forms. We just have to deal with them as they come.


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## tom495

I was sent a draft of the document from the european commision in brussels the other day. The main reason for the ban is that pomacea insularum is present in the water courses of a particular region in spain, which is causing a lot of problems in that ecosystem. The reason the whole genus has been banned is due to diffuculty indentifying different species. A lot of shops have been told to put their prices up but i think this is a silly idea as the breeding and movement of these snails will be prohibited so surely selling them is no different. I would be getting rid of my stocks cheap if i had any so i have none when the ban is offically fixed in.

I shouldnt think the cost of plants will go up as the problem with the white tabacco fly, on plants out of singapore, which has caused huge problems lately for a lot of suppliers hasnt involved a price hike. I cant see this any differently all defra will require is certification or a declaration to say the water/soil the plants are grown in is clear from pomacea. This documentation i should think will come at the exporters cost as after all if they dont do it then no plants will be shipped into the EU, therefore putting them out of business.

It looks like apple snails will be out of the hobby for a while as the decision will not be reviewed until the end of february 2015. Personally i think banning them from spain and portugal and regulating the plants as they are planning too across EU is a better way forward. The weather in the UK and eastern europe is alot different to spain and this genus could not survive those winters, so completing its life cycle would be extremely unlikely. Just my thought anyway. If I hear any more ill pop it on here.


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## Natrix

tom495 said:


> I was sent a draft of the document from the european commision in brussels the other day. The main reason for the ban is that pomacea insularum is present in the water courses of a particular region in spain, which is causing a lot of problems in that ecosystem. The reason the whole genus has been banned is due to diffuculty indentifying different species. A lot of shops have been told to put their prices up but i think this is a silly idea as the breeding and movement of these snails will be prohibited so surely selling them is no different. I would be getting rid of my stocks cheap if i had any so i have none when the ban is offically fixed in.
> 
> I shouldnt think the cost of plants will go up as the problem with the white tabacco fly, on plants out of singapore, which has caused huge problems lately for a lot of suppliers hasnt involved a price hike. I cant see this any differently all defra will require is certification or a declaration to say the water/soil the plants are grown in is clear from pomacea. This documentation i should think will come at the exporters cost as after all if they dont do it then no plants will be shipped into the EU, therefore putting them out of business.
> 
> It looks like apple snails will be out of the hobby for a while as the decision will not be reviewed until the end of february 2015. Personally i think banning them from spain and portugal and regulating the plants as they are planning too across EU is a better way forward. The weather in the UK and eastern europe is alot different to spain and this genus could not survive those winters, so completing its life cycle would be extremely unlikely. Just my thought anyway. If I hear any more ill pop it on here.


Tom
This new legislation that Brussels and the anti pet keeping brigade are trying to strengthen and force on us requires that any species that can become invasive in any part of the EU must be banned through out the EU. This is because of the supposed easey freedom of movement between EU countries.
If Spain continues to see Apple snails as an invasive threat they will remain banned through out all EU countries.

It is worthy of note that spain also has a local ban on King snakes and I believe Corn snakes are locally banned some where but can't remember in which EU country off the top of my head.

Gordon Glasson
FBH VC


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## Mynki

tom495 said:


> I shouldnt think the cost of plants will go up as the problem with the white tabacco fly, on plants out of singapore, which has caused huge problems lately for a lot of suppliers hasnt involved a price hike. I cant see this any differently all defra will require is certification or a declaration to say the water/soil the plants are grown in is clear from pomacea. This documentation i should think will come at the exporters cost as after all if they dont do it then no plants will be shipped into the EU, therefore putting them out of business.


I'm one of the largest importers of aquatic plants in the UK. The ban is an absolute nightmare for us because many of our most popular species have been stopped from leaving Singapore. This has had a knock on effect as other similar species are now being imported as 'replacement' species which is now leading to little or no supply of those and hitting sales figures hard for aquatic businesses. 

That's not entirely relevant to this thread, but a similar chain of events could happen if certain species are banned.


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## tom495

Natrix said:


> Tom
> This new legislation that Brussels and the anti pet keeping brigade are trying to strengthen and force on us requires that any species that can become invasive in any part of the EU must be banned through out the EU. This is because of the supposed easey freedom of movement between EU countries.
> If Spain continues to see Apple snails as an invasive threat they will remain banned through out all EU countries.
> 
> It is worthy of note that spain also has a local ban on King snakes and I believe Corn snakes are locally banned some where but can't remember in which EU country off the top of my head.
> 
> Gordon Glasson
> FBH VC



I understand why they do it the way they do, it was just my initial thought on the matter that could make it easier for traders that sell a lot but, I guess it would be fairly difficult to enforce in just a handful of member states. I didn't know that about the king snakes and corns that's quite interesting to know.

What I was saying with the plants I know it's caused a lot of problems but we havnt seen a price increase that we've had to put onto our customers, not yet anyway. I can't really see this being any different, as from what I understood from this document, and I must stress its not the official one it's the draft they send round to warn people, is that they will require the plants to be pomacea free as long as they are they are allowed entry.


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