Fish & Wildlife: Important Reminders to Importers
Flegenheimer International would like to send a reminder to our importers to closely monitor the expiration date on their U.S. Fish & Wildlife Import/Export License. Fish & Wildlife has stopped issuing reminder notices to importers about the expiration date of their I/E License and as applications and renewals can take up to 60 days to process, it is very important that importers closely monitor the validity of their I/E License and submit renewals timely in order to avoid any delays in the clearance of their shipments.
Another very important reminder is that Fish & Wildlife must be notified at least 48 hours prior to arrival for shipments that require inspection at the port (such as live, perishable shipments); therefore, we ask that you notify us at least 72 hours in advance in order for us to set up an appointment with Fish and Wildlife. This is being strictly enforced at this time!
All wildlife imported into the United States must be cleared by U.S. Wildlife inspectors prior to release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
50 CFR 14.52 – Clearance of imported wildlife.
- 14.52 Clearance of imported wildlife.
(a) Except as otherwise provided by this subpart, a Service officer must clear all wildlife imported into the United States prior to release from detention by Customs officers. A Service officer must clear all wildlife to be exported from the United States prior to the physical loading of the merchandise on a vehicle or aircraft, or the containerization or palletizing of such merchandise for export, unless a Service officer expressly authorizes otherwise. Such clearance does not constitute a certification of the legality of an importation or exportation under the laws or regulations of the United States.
(b) An importer/exporter or his/her agent may obtain clearance by a Service officer only at designated ports (§ 14.12), at border ports (§ 14.16), at special ports (§ 14.19), or at a port where importation or exportation is authorized by a permit issued under subpart C of this part. An importer/exporter must return forthwith any wildlife released without a Service officer’s clearance or clearance by Customs for the Service under authority of § 14.54 to a port where clearance may be obtained pursuant to this subpart.
(c) To obtain clearance, the importer, exporter, or the importer’s or exporter’s agent will make available to a Service officer or a Customs officer acting under § 14.54:
(1) All shipping documents (including bills of lading, waybills and packing lists or invoices);
(2) All permits, licenses or other documents required by the laws or regulations of the United States;
(3) All permits or other documents required by the laws or regulations of any foreign country;
(4) The wildlife being imported or exported; and
(5) Any documents and permits required by the country of export or re-export for the wildlife.
[45 FR 56673, Aug. 25, 1980; 45 FR 64953, Oct. 1, 1980, as amended at 50 FR 52889, Dec. 26, 1985; 61 FR 31869, June 21, 1996]
50 CFR 14.55 – Exceptions to clearance requirements.
- 14.55 Exceptions to clearance requirements.
Except for wildlife requiring a permit pursuant to part 17 or 23 of this subchapter B, clearance is not required for the importation of the following wildlife:
(a) Shellfish and fishery products imported for purposes of human or animal consumption or taken in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States or on the high seas for recreational purposes;
(b) Marine mammals lawfully taken on the high seas by United States residents and imported directly into the United States; and
(c) Certain antique articles as specified in § 14.22 which have been released from custody by Customs officers under 19 U.S.C. 1499.
(d) Dead, preserved, dried, or embedded scientific specimens or parts thereof, imported or exported by accredited scientists or accredited scientific institutions for taxonomic or systematic research purposes. Except: That this exception will not apply to any specimens or parts thereof taken as a result of sport hunting.
[45 FR 56673, Aug. 25, 1980, as amended at 61 FR 31869, June 21, 1996]
We strongly recommend the trade to go to this link to find the U.S. F&W Notifications to the Public:
https://www.fws.gov/le/public-bulletin.html
Sources:
<https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/50/14.55?qt-cfr_tabs=1#qt-cfr_tabs>