USARK & Reptile Nation Save 5 of 9 species from FWS Constrictor Rule!

[USARK.Jonathan.Brady]

USARK & Reptile Nation Save 5 of 9 species from FWS Constrictor Rule!
This morning a joint press conference was held by Senator Bill Nelson of Florida, Interior Dept Director, Ken Salazar; and US Fish & Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe at Everglades National Park (ENP) to make an Everglades conservation and preservation announcement. It was made public that a final rule would be enacted by FWS potentially restricting trade in 9 constricting snakes. Although there had been no word from FWS or White House oversight officials prior to the press conference, Andrew Wyatt CEO USARK, learned of a “rumor” on the “HILL” that there would be an announcement regarding the Constrictor Listing; a listing of 9 constricting snakes to the Injurious Wildlife list of the Lacey Act. This is an action that could destroy $104 million per year in small business while potentially making more than 1 million Americans into Lacey Act felons. This action has now come to pass; albeit in a more limited fashion than was pushed by FWS and the powerful environmental and animal rights lobby.

As of now the Constrictor Rule, when enacted, will BAN the IMPORT and INTERSTATE TRANSPORT of the following 4 species: Burmese python, Northern African python, Southern African python and yellow anaconda.

USARK will be making further announcements regarding potential legal remedy to the flagrant disregard for “science”, due process, or information quality standards by FWS and the Obama Administration. This is a clear example of policy being based on staff preference combined with political considerations, rather than clear science and due process. The FWS failed at every level to make a solid case for justifying a Lacey Act listing. How the White House can justify this train wreck of a rule to pass is a mystery. In the opinion of USARK the actions of FWS are arbitrary, capricious and unlawful. That is not a charge that is unfamiliar to FWS. In 2010 FWS scientists were found guilty of falsifying information to manufacture science to support a rule on the Delta Smelt in the Central Valley of California. FWS was found guilty of being “arbitrary, capricious and unlawful" in their effort to add the controversial fish to the Endangered Species Act. USARK will pursue available legal remedy to this travesty of justice and blatant misuse of the Lacey Act. The Lacey Act was the wrong tool for the wrong reason.

[adamsky27]

Well that is good news. Great job USARK and Reptile Nation!

[Freakie_frog]

Well that is good news. Great job USARK and Reptile Nation!

It's a turd in the punch bowl..we need to work on an appeal.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Well that is good news.

Why is it great news? Because you don't own a Burm?

I got news for you, this is only where it starts. Now all it will take is a simple amendment to add whatever other snake species they want to the list.

It doesn't make any scientific sense to enforce such rules nation wide. Will you still consider it good news when they add YOUR favorite species to the list? Don't think it will happen? That is the same thing everyone thought about this.

[WarriorPrincess90]

It sucks that they managed to ban any, but YAY USARK! Thank you for saving the others! Now I don't have to go get a BCI this week. But I will be getting them sooner rather than later now.

Regardless, the fight isn't over. We are entitled to the pursuit of happiness in this country, and if your happiness includes a burm, well, you're out of luck as it stands now. As stated earlier, we need to work to repeal and stop it in its tracks.

[minguss]

It's a turd in the punch bowl..we need to work on an appeal.

Yeap. It will most lilikey be a long legal battle but all of need to continue to support USARK and fight this.

[heathers*bps]

I will do whatever I can in my power to back USARK. We own about 10 burms and this puts a serious hurting on our future business dealings.

[dr del]

Hi,

What do we need to do for the next phase in fighting this idiotic ban?


dr del

[Valentine Pirate]

Hi,

What do we need to do for the next phase in fighting this idiotic ban?


dr del

x 2

Burms are an impossibility for me right now. I know this because I rent a room, still have to finish school to support myself having my own house, and other plans that are going to take many years before I can complete them. It was my decision that once I had myself settled somewhere that I'd pick up a burm, and I still want to be able to do that without being worried about getting arrested

[ShockBunny]

Well, I'm glad the govt is at least SORT OF paying attention and listening to USARK. If we got this far, maybe we have a shot at getting our voices heard and getting the whole damn thing thrown out.


I'm really disappointed in FWS right now. :/ I tend to think of myself as a raging liberal and I generally support government entities protecting the environment and wildlife. This is the first time I've come down on the "smaller government" side of an issue and it's disconcerting for me! But, I'm a scientist at heart and it is extremely infuriating to see what I thought of as a community of scientists blatantly skew the research to suit a political agenda. I guess I'm still a bit naive about political process in this country...I'm not used to seeing fear-mongering on my own side of the fence, and it stings!