Defenders of Wildlife files petition to list Non-Native Amphibians on Lacey Act





The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is

reviewing a petition to list, under the Lacey Act, all live amphibians

or their eggs in trade as injurious unless certified as free of

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (chytrid fungus). The importation and

introduction of live amphibians infected with chytrid fungus into the

natural ecosystems of the United States may pose a threat to interests

of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, or to wildlife or the wildlife

resources of the United States. An injurious wildlife listing would

prohibit the importation of live amphibians or their eggs infected with

chytrid fungus into, or transportation between, States, the District of

Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or

possession of the United States by any means, without a permit. We may

issue permits for scientific, medical, educational, or zoological

purposes. This document seeks information from the public to aid in

determining if a proposed rule is warranted.



DATES: We will consider information received or postmarked on or before

December 16, 2010.



ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.

Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. FWS-R9-

FHC-2009-0093.

U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing,

Attn: Docket No. FWS-R9-FHC-2009-0093, Division of Policy and

Directives Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North

Fairfax Drive, Suite 222, Arlington, VA 22203.



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Jewell, Branch of Aquatic

Invasive Species, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 770, 4401 N.

Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203; telephone 703-358-2416. If you use

a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339.



SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 9, 2009, Department of the

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar received a petition from the Defenders

of Wildlife requesting that live amphibians or their eggs in trade be

considered for inclusion in the injurious wildlife regulations (50 CFR

part 16) under the Lacey Act (18 U.S.C. 42) unless they are free of

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (chytrid fungus). The Defenders of

Wildlife is concerned that unregulated trade--primarily for pet use and

as live animals for consumption as frog legs--continues to threaten the

survival of many amphibian species, including domestic and foreign

species listed by the Service under the Endangered Species Act of 1973

as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), candidate species, and other

species.



Please stay tuned for further updates from USARK.

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