Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)’s Import Restrictions on Salamanders
Customs Notice 17-17

Ottawa, June 18, 2018

1. To prevent the introduction of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) into Canada’s ecosystems and to protect native species of salamanders, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is implementing import restrictions on all species of salamanders entering Canada.

2. Effective May 31st, 2017, salamanders are prohibited from entering Canada unless accompanied by a permit to import injurious wildlife issued by ECCC.

3. Injurious wildlife import permits for salamanders will generally only be issued for scientific and research purposes and can be obtained by contacting ECCC’s CITES Permitting Office at ec.cites.ec@canada.ca or 1-855-869-8670.

4. "Salamanders” means all species of the Order Caudata, which is in the Class Amphibia (amphibians), and includes axolotl, newts, mudpuppies, waterdogs, hellbender, olm, ensatinas, sirens, amphiumas, and all other types of salamanders, whether live or dead.

5. The import restrictions by ECCC do not apply to other amphibians (toads, frogs, and caecilians).

6. ECCC’s import restrictions for salamanders are implemented via amendments to sections 5(a) of the Wild Animal and Plant Trade Regulations (WAPTR).

7. On May 12, 2018, ECCC amended WAPTR to make these restrictions permanent.

8. In addition to the injurious wildlife import permit, species of salamanders protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) must also be accompanied by the required CITES permit(s).

9. Live salamanders are to be reported to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) under Harmonized System (HS) Code for live amphibians (HS: 0106.90.00.20).

10. Importers are reminded of the requirement under the Customs Act that information reported to the CBSA must be true, accurate and complete. This means that the scientific or taxonomic names of all amphibians imported must be declared upon entry. Importers must report scientific names of all imported amphibian species in the commodity description field of Form CI1, Canada Customs Invoice or the commercial invoice, either electronic or paper as per the instructions in Memorandum D1-4-1, CBSA Invoice Requirements, and/or in accordance with the technical requirements, specifications and procedures for electronic data interchange as set out in the Electronic Commerce Client Requirements Document (ECCRD).

11. Because amphibians are frequently imported with shipments of live aquarium or ornamental fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic organisms and live reptiles, insects, spiders, and scorpions, importers must report scientific or taxonomic names of all species for any such importations, whether or not amphibians are present in the shipments. This will facilitate the CBSA and ECCC in determination of admissibility of the species.

12. For reference purposes, the following is a non-inclusive list of commonly imported species of salamanders that can no longer be imported into Canada without an import permit issued by ECCC,: Ambystoma mexicanum (axolotl), Cynops orientalis (Chinese fire belly newt), Cynops pyrrhogaster (Japanese fire belly newt), Necturus maculosus (waterdog; mudpuppy), Pachytriton brevipes (paddletail fire newt), Paramesotriton chinensis (fire newt), Paramesotriton hongkongensis (giant rock lizard; alpine newt), Pleurodeles waltl (Iberian or Spanish ribbed newt), Salamandra salamandra (European fire salamander), Taricha granulosa (Oregon newt),Taricha torosa (orange belly newt), Trituroides hongkongensi (fire newt), and Triturus granulosus (Oregon newt).

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