Importing+organisms

= Restrictions for importing organisms =



//Tharindu Kumara//

====If a person wants to start a business to import organisms to New Zealand, he/she has to comply with the New Zealand Bio security Act 1993. As a country which is very strict on importing organisms, New Zealand is always aware of the goods that come in and go out of the country. It may be little bit hard to start such a business in New Zealand, due to the law but it is not impossible if you stick to the rules.====

**How the inspector should be satisfied?**
====An inspector at customs should not allow any items to come inside the country unless he/she can make sure that the goods are not at risk. Following facts are the critical factors which act as the border line for the inspector to take a decision. The good that has been imported should be up to the required standard. Moreover, there should not be any conflicts between the documentation of the good and the real nature of the good. Furthermore, if the good is an organism, it should not contain any symptoms which may lead to a conclusion of a threatened good to New Zealand and the good should not have any other suspicious symptoms. Indeed, to import a certain good, that good should not be banned by the state to import.====

**Restrictions on giving clearances**
====For an inspector there are some restrictions when it comes to the approval for the good to be transferred in to the country. An inspector should not allow an organism in to the country if it falls in to at least one of the categories mentioned bellow.====

· Any snake of any species whatever. · Any venomous reptile, venomous amphibian, venomous fish, or venomous invertebrate. (In this item, venomous means capable of inflicting poisonous wounds harmful to human health) · Any American grey squirrel (//Sciurus carolinensis gmelini//). · Any red squirrel (//Sciurus vulgaris//). · Any musquash (or muskrat) (//Ondatra zibethica//). · Any coypu or nutria (//Myocastor coypus//). · Any beaver (//Castor canadensis//). · Any gerbil (//Meriones unguiculatus//). · Any prairie dog (//Cyonomys// spp). · Any pocket gopher (//Geomys// spp and //Thomomys// spp). · Any red or silver fox (//Vulpes vulpes//). · Any Arctic fox (//Alopex lagopus//). · Any mongoose (family Herpestidae) other than //Suricata suricatta//. · Any member of the family Mustelidae, subfamily Mustelinae, other than ferrets (//Mustela furo//), weasels (//Mustela nivalis//), and stoats (//Mustela erminea//), and subfamily Lutrinae, other than oriental small clawed otter (//Aonyx cineria//). · Any mole (family Talpidae). · Any member of the family Esocidae (eg, pikes, muskellunge). · Any member of the families Phalangeridae and Petauridae, other than the Australian brushtail possum (//Trichosurus vulpecula//). · Any stickleback (//Gasterosteus// spp). · Any giant African snail (//Achatina// spp). · Any predatory snail (//Euglandina rosea//). · Any cane toad (//Bufo marinus//). · Negro root (//Cassia occidentalis//). · Skeleton weed (//Chondrilla juncea//). · // Cymbopogon schoenanthus //. · // Cynanchum // (all species), eg, Indian swallowart. · Hairy thorn apple (//Datura metel//). · // Ephedra sinica //. · Leafy spurge (//Euphorbia esula//). · Star of Bethlehem, Pua-hoku (//Hippobroma longiflora//). · Poverty weed (//Iva axillaris//). · Any member of the family Loranthaceae (eg mistletoe), other than //Alepis flavida//, //Lleostylus micranthus//, //Peraxilla colensoi//, //Peraxilla tetrapetala//, //Trilepidea adamsii//, and //Tupeia antarctica//. · Any member of the genus //Korthalsella// other than //Korthalsella clavata//, //Korthalsella lindsayi//, and //Korthalsella salicornioides//. · Butterbur (//Petasites hybridus//). · Witchweed (all species) (//Striga//). · Strychnine (//Strychnos nux-vomica//). · // Tourrettia volubilis //. · Puncture vine (//Tribulus terrestris//).

====If the organism does not fall in to one of the categories above, you may import but you should meet the following requirements as well. If you are importing an organism in order to modify it genetically you should pay your attention to the following requirements. In a case of developing genetically modified organisms in containment, the authority may make a rapid assessment of the adverse affects of that organism. If the authority is satisfied with your actions of developing a genetically modified organism’s which has a low risk, the authority may allow you to carry on with your experiments. Moreover, you should have containment facilities which are developed according to the required standards of the authority and the organism should be able to go in to the containment.====

**What will happen if the imported new organism is suspected?**
====If the inspector indentifies the imported organism as a new organism an experiment has to be conducted to make sure the risk level of it to New Zealand. However, the cost of conducting the experiment should be paid by the importer. If the organism is concluded to be a new organism which involves a risk, the authority may take actions to dispose it immediately.====

More information can be found on the following web site.
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