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Import Clearance For Aquarium Plants In Wa


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#1 Westie

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    West African Cichlid fan

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Posted 15 September 2016 - 01:53 PM

I emailed the Department of Agriculture and Food to ask about getting aquarium plants in to WA from the Eastern States. Just thought I would share the information I was given:

 

The first thing you need to do is get the full botanical names of the plant species. You will need to check our Western Australia Organism List (WAOL) to check the “status” of the plants to see if there are permitted. You can do this by following the link below:

 

https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/organisms

 

If they are permitted the next step is to ensure then entry conditions (labelling etc) and then post entry conditions are met:

 

Labelling Requirements

All containers must have details of;
- the commodity type and;
- the commodity producer, packer or agent and;
- the district of production;
printed on an external surface in letters not less than 5mm in height.

AQUATIC PLANTS - TREATMENT & INSPECTION

All treatment and inspection is carried out at the Department of Agriculture's South Perth location, within the Post Entry Quarantine facility.

  1. Day 1
    1. The plants are received and the importer advised that the aquatic plants will require inspection and treatment followed by a seven day quarantine period.
    2. If snails or snail eggs are found on inspection, specimens are sent to entomology for identification. If P. columella is confirmed the consignment must be destroyed or re-exported at the importer's expense.
    3. Invoices are checked for the type and number of plants. If they are not named, identification must be given by the importer. If in doubt, samples are sent to the herbarium for identification.
    4. Plants are completely immersed in a 2% solution of copper sulphate at ambient temperature and with as much light as possible. A stock solution is made from 39.28 g of copper sulphate with 2.5 L water. 100 mL of the stock solution is added to 200 L of water, add the plants and aerate. The plants must remain completely immersed for the 24 hour treatment period.
    5. Tanks are labelled with the name of the consignee.
    6. Details of receipt are recorded on a control sheet, including names and numbers of each type of plant and their condition on arrival. It is important this is done at the start of the treatment.
  2. Day 2
  3. When the plants have completed 24 hours submersion in the copper sulphate solution they are transferred to holding tanks for six days. Plants may be segregated by species where requested by the importer.
  4. Procedures are recorded on the control sheet.
  5. Days 3-6
    1. Daily tasks include inspection for:
    2. Plant deterioration - Rotting material is removed
    3. Water evaporation
    4. Presence of snails (usually found on the side of tanks)
  6. Day 7
    1. If snails have not been found after seven days the plants are released. They are checked against the invoice and placed in a wet condition in clean plastic bags then re-packed in the cartons they arrived in.
    2. An account (AD 263) is enclosed with the plants (Metro - charged on a QIR form).
      Fees are specified in Part F
    3. The importer is advised that the plants are ready for collection. Tanks must be cleaned after use. Cleaning products can seriously affect aquatic plants and, when used, the item must be thoroughly rinsed. Sodium hypochlorite, available as "White King" bleach, is useful for cleaning clogged airstones.

 

 

The fees are $442.00* for the treatment, storage and inspection of the aquatic plants, inspection fees are $63.00* per 15 mins (minimum 2 inspections required and the length of time will depend on the volume of the plants in the consignment).

 

Initial inspection will be conducted at the post on entry. If having them flown to WA this will be at the air cargo centre (which exactly will depend on the airline they are sent with). Inspections will be conducted Mon – Fri (excluding public holidays) from 7.30am -4.00pm (flights should arrive no later than 3pm unless sending over night for following morning inspection). Bookings for inspection are required, to make a booking call 9334 1802 with flight details.

 

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

 

*fees subject to change at annual fee review in July 2017.

 

 

Sure is a lot of information there. Hope it's helpful to my fellow Planted Aquarium Enthusiasts. Long story short, just buy plants from an Aquarium Store and save yourself $500 :Rofl_3f:



#2 sydad

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Posted 16 September 2016 - 12:22 AM

All this bloody nonsense just for ensuring that plants are not carrying columnella snails, which are found in WA anyhow. I am not aware of ANY plant which will survive 24 hour contact with 2% copper sulphate solution, but then the supplied instructions do not yield a 2% solution (or anything like it). If the supplied information is correct, whoever wrote the instructions is best typified as an incompetent buffoon.

As for the "fees"; the plan appears to be to discourage any attempt to import aquarium plants into WA.

 

Syd.



#3 Buccal

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Posted 16 September 2016 - 03:57 AM

This is simply why our authorities create a black market,, not us.
How are we meant to see a government type of body knowing best, when all decisions and emphasis revolves around something so, so stupid,,,,,,,, (all this to stop a snail that's commonly existing already and for god knows how long).
Cichlids are Definetely disappearing now, we've been absolutely stooged. $400 come on,,,, come on the black market,, let's do it.

Their reasonings aren't good enough to have suit a reasonable law, so the control they do have is how much they charge (ridiculous out of scale prices for their services),, is this a mild type of corruption ?,, I would have thought.

Edited by Buccal, 16 September 2016 - 04:05 AM.


#4 Westie

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Posted 16 September 2016 - 11:46 AM

Syd - I too was surprised by the fees. Aren't Government supposed to operate on "Cost Recovery"? Unless they are cross-subsidising, which is a BIG no no in Government.

Buccal - Shouldn't discuss black market in an open forum, but yes you are right. It's no wonder there seems to be different things pop up in the hobby from time to time. Buce anyone?






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