202204/18
The Bureau of Foreign Trade, MOEA, announced an upcoming amendment to the “List of Commodities Subject to Import Restriction” on April 18, 2022, which will add 53 items, including raccoons, under the import regulation code “111” (import control). Included are 1 species of mammals, 250 species of birds, 1,060 species of reptiles, 250 species of amphibians, 6,800 species of invertebrates, and 124 species of aquatic animals (including freshwater fish for aquarium and live fish for non-aquarium use) from land and sea, with a total of about 8,480 species. The review period is 7 days.
To prevent invasive species from affecting the local ecosystems and to strengthen the management of exotic species imports from the source, the Forestry Bureau, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, invited the Fisheries Agency and Ocean Affairs Council in 2021 to conduct an inventory and evaluation of the list of exotic species with high risk of invasion. After many meetings with experts, scholars, and related organizations, the “List of Species with High Risk of Invasion that Should Be Banned from Importation” was established based on the selection principles of invasiveness, hazard posed, current industry status, and impact after import ban. Then, in accordance with Article 26 of the Wildlife Conservation Act, the list of prohibited live imports of exotic species was transferred to the Bureau of Foreign Trade, MOEA, for announcement under the Foreign Trade Act.
The Forestry Bureau said that in addition to the species that have already established populations in the wild, such as the glossy starling, Javan myna, common myna, black-collared starling, and red-eared slider, the list also includes species with a high risk of invasion, such as raccoons, weaver birds, Argentine black and white tegu, and Florida red-bellied cooter, which are highly predatory, may compete with native species for habitat, and indirectly endanger native species or cause crop damage. In recent years, the Forestry Bureau has been actively removing the African sacred ibis, the green iguana, and the cane toad, which are also listed. After the announcement comes into effect, no more applications for commercial importation will be allowed in order to control the invasion of exotic species from the source.
Details of the amendments are posted on the website of the Bureau of Foreign Trade, MOEA, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Laws and Regulations Retrieving System /Draft Announcement Forum. If you have any related comments during the review period, please send them to the email address of the Bureau of Foreign Trade, MOEA: boft@trade.gov.tw.