Conservancy Provides Facts About Non-native Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act

Bill would strengthen existing laws regarding non-native, invasive species import and screen new species for potential risks.

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL — April 22, 2009 — Non-native, invasive species cost Americans billions of dollars each year in damage to globally important ecosystems from the Everglades to the Great Lakes to the Hawaiian islands.

As a way to prevent these invasions, The Nature Conservancy and more than 40 groups support the passage of the Non-native Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, H.R. 669. The bill will be discussed during a subcommittee hearing Thursday, April 23, in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“This bill would give the Fish and Wildlife Service the authority to assess the potential risk that non-native species pose to our natural ecosystems before they are imported,” said Kris Serbesoff-King, The Nature Conservancy’s invasive species manager in Florida. “Florida alone spends roughly a billion dollars a year to control invasive plants and animals. Non-native invasive species cost our country more than $100 billion a year in estimated damages. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

“It’s unfortunate that a law that would do so much good for our environment, economy, human health and welfare has so much confusion surrounding what it would actually achieve. For example, many folks fear that their pets would be taken away, but this is simply not true,” Serbesoff-King said. “Only a small percentage of the more than 2,000 species a year imported would be affected by this bill. People would still be able to keep their pets even if they were listed as long as they were owned prior to enactment of the bill. In addition, this bill calls for a transparent process with stakeholder input prior to banning any species.”

States like Florida have faced some of the most problematic non-native, invasive wildlife, such as Burmese pythons, Nile monitors and lionfish. But Florida is not alone. Hundreds of millions of animals are imported and traded throughout the United States with little oversight.

The Nature Conservancy urges you to learn the facts about the Non-native Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act.

What would the Non-Native Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act do, if enacted?

This bill seeks to prevent invasive wildlife by requiring Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to assess the invasive risks associated with imported wildlife and prohibit the importation of those species that are likely to be invasive here in the United States. The bill establishes three basic categories: species that are permitted, species that are prohibited, and species that require further data or study for determination. These categories are reviewed periodically by FWS, or by petition to list/delist a specific species.

How would this change existing law?

Under the existing Lacey Act, FWS can find wildlife species “injurious,” which allows FWS to prevent the species interstate movement and sale. This has been inadequate to prevent the spread of invasive species, since the injurious determination process can take several years, and FWS does not have the authority to stop sales and movement altogether — only those that cross state lines. This new law, if enacted, would add an important preventative step by requiring FWS to consider the implications of new proposed species before they arrive in the United States.

The law is meant to supplement and not conflict with authorities that other federal agencies may have to prohibit invasive species. If a species is already prohibited by some other authority (for example, plant pests that are prohibited from import by USDA) the species would not be subject to consideration by FWS under this law.

Would the bill stop the further import and sale of invasive wildlife already present in the United States?

In some cases, yes. The bill would enable FWS to continue permitting imports of invasive species that are already so widespread that future prohibition or restriction would have no practical utility. However, if an already introduced invasive species was relatively limited in geographic scope, it would be considered for prohibition.

Will the bill result in FWS taking people’s pets?

No. The legislation grandfathers in pets that were legally obtained or imported prior to the bill’s enactment, however it does prohibit the breeding of those pets.

What kinds of invasive wildlife species could be prevented by this legislation?

The bill allows FWS to assess all nonnative proposed imports of species of mammal, bird, fish, reptile, amphibian, insect, mollusk and crustacean, arthropod, coelenterate, or other invertebrate, and any egg or offspring thereof except if the species is already listed and prohibited from importation by some other law (e.g., the Plant Protection Act, or the Animal Health Protection Act.)

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.