California Issues Total Ban on Caulerpa: Warns Retailer of $10,000 Fine Per Violation
JEREMY GAY2 DAYS AGO
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife Agency has written to e-commerce company Etsy and notified them that the sale, possession, or transport of all species of marine macroalgae Caulerpa is now prohibited. In a letter written on Jan 2, 2024, the Department told the online retailer that a violation includes but is not limited to civil penalties of up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each violation.
Eric Kord, Assistant Chief of the Marine Enforcement District, informed Etsy that the rules changed in 2023 from a previous ban on nine species of Caulerpa to all species, and that in a recent search, the Department had found Etsy offering Caulerpa for sale on its site, as well offering to transport it to customers within the State of California
<see whole article to see copy of letter given to Etsy>
There are in the region of 75 species of Caulerpa, many of which we find desirable and cultivate in our aquariums, either for aesthetic purposes or for nutrient control. But put the right marine alga in the wrong place and it can wreak havoc in non-native ecosystems, smothering native seaweeds and corals and proving damaging to some already threatened species of endemic marine life.
For the whole article, please go:
California Issues Total Ban on Caulerpa: Warns Retailer of $10,000 Fine Per Violation | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife Agency has written to e-commerce company Etsy and notified them that the sale, possession, or transport of all species of marine macroalgae Caulerpa is…
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