4VAC15-30 Definitions and Miscellaneous: Importation, Possession, Sale, Etc., of Animals

REGULATIONS

Vol. 30 Iss. 24 - July 28, 2014

TITLE 4. CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES

BOARD OF GAME AND INLAND FISHERIES

Chapter 30

Final Regulation

Title of Regulation: 4VAC15-30. Definitions and Miscellaneous: Importation, Possession, Sale, Etc., of Animals (amending 4VAC15-30-40).

Statutory Authority: §§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: August 1, 2014.

Agency Contact: Phil Smith, Regulatory Coordinator, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 4010 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23230, telephone [phone] or email [e-mail].

Summary:

The amendments (i) add certain nonnative species of animals currently included on the federal list of endangered and threatened species to the list of predatory and undesirable species; (ii) add the oriental weatherfish to the list of predatory and undesirable species, (iii) update taxonomic references in the list of predatory and undesirable species, and (iv) repeal an exception for certain animals from the requirement that all individuals in possession of animals included on the list of predatory and undesirable species apply for a department permit to exhibit wild animals in Virginia.

4VAC15-30-40. Importation requirements, possession and sale of nonnative (exotic) animals.

A. Permit required. A special permit is required and may be issued by the department, if consistent with the department's fish and wildlife management program, to import, possess, or sell those nonnative (exotic) animals listed below and in 4VAC15-20-210 that the board finds and declares to be predatory or undesirable within the meaning and intent of § 29.1-542 of the Code of Virginia, in that their introduction into the Commonwealth will be detrimental to the native fish and wildlife resources of Virginia:

AMPHIBIANS:
Order	Family	Genus/Species	Common Name
Anura	Bufonidae	Rhinella marina	Cane toad*
	Pipidae	Hymenochirus spp. Pseudohymenochiris merlini	African dwarf frog
		Xenopus spp.	Tongueless or African clawed frog
Caudata	Ambystomatidae	Ambystoma tigrium mavortium All species	Barred tiger salamander All mole salamanders
		A. t. diaboli	Gray tiger salamander
		A. t. melanostictum	Blotched tiger salamander
BIRDS:
Order	Family	Genus/Species	Common Name
Psittaciformes	Psittacidae	Myiopsitta monachus	Monk parakeet*
Anseriformes	Anatidae	Cygnus olor	Mute swan
FISH:
Order	Family	Genus/Species	Common Name
Cypriniformes	Catostomidae	Catostomus microps	Modoc sucker
		Catostomus santaanae	Santa Ana sucker
		Catostomus warnerensis	Warner sucker
		Ictiobus bubalus	Smallmouth* buffalo
		I. cyprinellus	Bigmouth* buffalo
		I. niger	Black buffalo*
	Characidae	Pygopristis spp. Pygocentrus spp. Rooseveltiella spp. Serrasalmo spp. Serrasalmus spp. Taddyella spp.	Piranhas
	Cobitidae	Misgurnus anguillicaudatus	Oriental weatherfish
	Cyprinidae	Aristichyhys nobilis	Bighead carp*
		Chrosomus saylori	Laurel dace
		Ctenopharyngodon idella	Grass carp or white amur
		Cyprinella caerulea	Blue shiner
		Cyprinella formosa	Beautiful shiner
		Cyprinella lutrensis	Red shiner
		Hypophthalmichthys molitrix	Silver carp*
		Mylopharyngodom piceus	Black carp*
		Notropis albizonatus	Palezone shiner
		Notropis cahabae	Cahaba shiner
		Notropis girardi	Arkansas River shiner
		Notropis mekistocholas	Cape Fear shiner
		Notropis simus pecosensis	Pecos bluntnose shiner
		Notropis topeka (= tristis)	Topeka shiner
		Phoxinus cumberlandensis	Blackside dace
		Rhinichthys osculus lethoporus	Independence Valley speckled dace
		Rhinichthys osculus nevadensis	Ash Meadows speckled dace
		Rhinichthys osculus oligoporus	Clover Valley speckled dace
		Rhinichthys osculus ssp.	Foskett speckled dace
		Rhinichthys osculus thermalis	Kendall Warm Springs dace
		Scardinius erythrophthalmus	Rudd
		Tinca tinca	Tench*
Cyprinodontiformes	Poeciliidae	Gambusia gaigei	Big Bend gambusia
		Gambusia georgei	San Marcos gambusia
		Gambusia heterochir	Clear Creek gambusia
		Gambusia nobilis	Pecos gambusia
		Peociliopsis occidentalis	Gila topminnow
Gasterosteiformes	Gasterosteidae	Gasterosteus aculeatus williamsoni	Unarmored threespine stickleback
Gobiesociformes	Gobiidae	Proterorhinus marmoratus	Tubenose goby
		Neogobius melanostomus	Round goby
Perciformes	Channidae	Channa spp. Parachanna spp.	Snakeheads
	Cichlidae	Tilapia spp.	Tilapia
		Gymnocephalus cernuum	Ruffe*
	Elassomatidae	Elassoma alabamae	Spring pygmy sunfish
	Percidae	Crystallaria cincotta	Diamond darter
		Etheostoma chermocki	Vermilion darter
		Etheostoma boschungi	Slackwater darter
		Etheostoma chienense	Relict darter
		Etheostoma etowahae	Etowah darter
		Etheostoma fonticola	Fountain darter
		Etheostoma moorei	Yellowcheek darter
		Etheostoma nianguae	Niangua darter
		Etheostoma nuchale	Watercress darter
		Etheostoma okaloosae	Okaloosa darter
		Etheostoma phytophilum	Rush darter
		Etheostoma rubrum	Bayou darter
		Etheostoma scotti	Cherokee darter
		Etheostoma sp.	Bluemask (= jewel) darter
		Etheostoma susanae	Cumberland darter
		Etheostoma wapiti	Boulder darter
		Percina antesella	Amber darter
		Percina aurolineata	Goldline darter
		Percina jenkinsi	Conasauga logperch
		Percina pantherina	Leopard darter
		Percina tanasi	Snail darter
Scorpaeniformes	Cottidae	Cottus sp.	Grotto sculpin
		Cottus paulus (= pygmaeus)	Pygmy sculpin
Siluriformes	Clariidae	All species	Air-breathing catfish
	Ictaluridae	Noturus baileyi	Smoky madtom
		Noturus crypticus	Chucky madtom
		Noturus placidus	Neosho madtom
		Noturus stanauli	Pygmy madtom
		Noturus trautmani	Scioto madtom
Synbranchiformes	Synbranchidae	Monopterus albus	Swamp eel
MAMMALS:
Order	Family	Genus/Species		Common Name
Artiodactyla	Suidae	All Species		Pigs or Hogs*
	Cervidae	All Species		Deer*
Carnivora	Canidae	All Species		Wild Dogs,* Wolves, Coyotes or Coyote hybrids, Jackals and Foxes
	Ursidae	All Species		Bears*
	Procyonidae	All Species		Raccoons and* Relatives
	Mustelidae	All Species (except Mustela putorius furo)		Weasels, Badgers,* Skunks and Otters Ferret
	Viverridae	All Species		Civets, Genets,* Lingsangs, Mongooses, and Fossas
	Herpestidae	All Species		Mongooses*
	Hyaenidae	All Species		Hyenas and Aardwolves*
	Felidae	All Species		Cats*
Chiroptera		All Species		Bats*
Lagomorpha	Lepridae	Brachylagus idahoensis		Pygmy rabbit
		Lepus europeaeous		European hare
		Oryctolagus cuniculus		European rabbit
		Sylvilagus bachmani riparius		Riparian brush rabbit
		Sylvilagus palustris hefneri		Lower Keys marsh rabbit
Rodentia		All species native to Africa		All species native to Africa
	Dipodidae	Zapus hudsonius preblei		Preble's meadow jumping mouse
	Muridae	Microtus californicus scirpensis		Amargosa vole
		Microtus mexicanus hualpaiensis		Hualapai Mexican vole
		Microtus pennsylvanicus dukecampbelli		Florida salt marsh vole
		Neotoma floridana smalli		Key Largo woodrat
		Neotoma fuscipes riparia		Riparian (= San Joaquin Valley) woodrat
		Oryzomys palustris natator		Rice rat
		Peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola		Key Largo cotton mouse
		Peromyscus polionotus allophrys		Choctawhatchee beach mouse
		Peromyscus polionotus ammobates		Alabama beach mouse
		Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris		Southeastern beach mouse
		Peromyscus polionotus peninsularis		St. Andrew beach mouse
		Peromyscus polionotus phasma		Anastasia Island beach mouse
		Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis		Perdido Key beach mouse
		Reithrodontomys raviventris		Salt marsh harvest mouse
	Heteromyidae	Dipodomys heermanni morroensis		Morro Bay kangaroo rat
		Dipodomys ingens		Giant kangaroo rat
		Dipodomys merriami parvus		San Bernadino Merriam's kangaroo rat
		Dipodomys nitratoides exilis		Fresno kangaroo rat
		Dipodomys nitratoides nitratoides		Tipton kangaroo rat
		Dipodomys stephensi (including D. cascus)		Stephens' kangaroo rat
		Perognathus longimembris pacificus		Pacific pocket mouse
	Sciuridae	Cynomys spp.		Prairie dogs
		Spermophilus brunneus brunneus		Northern Idaho ground squirrel
		Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis		Mount Graham red squirrel
Soricomorpha	Soricidae	Sorex ornatus relictus		Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew
MOLLUSKS:
Order	Family	Genus/Species		Common Name
Neotaenioglossa	Hydrobiidae	Potamopyrgus antipodarum		New Zealand mudsnail
Veneroida	Dreissenidae	Dreissena bugensis		Quagga mussel
		Dreissena polymorpha		Zebra mussel
REPTILES:
Order	Family	Genus/Species		Common Name
Squamata Crocodilia	Alligatoridae	All species		Alligators, caimans*
	Colubridae	Boiga irregularis		Brown tree snake*
	Crocodylidae	All species		Crocodiles*
	Gavialidae	All species		Gavials*
Squamata	Colubridae	Boiga irregularis		Brown tree snake*
CRUSTACEANS:
Order	Family	Genus/Species		Common Name
Decapoda	Cambaridae	Cambarus aculabrum		Cave crayfish
		Cambarus zophonastes		Cave crayfish
		Orconectes rusticus		Rusty crayfish
		Orconectes shoupi		Nashville crayfish
		Pacifastacus fortis		Shasta crayfish
		Procambarus sp.		Marbled crayfish
	Parastacidae	Cherax spp.		Australian crayfish
	Varunidea	Eriocheir sinensis		Chinese mitten crab

B. Temporary possession permit for certain animals. Notwithstanding the permitting requirements of subsection A, a person, company or corporation possessing any nonnative (exotic) animal, designated with an asterisk (*) in subsection A, prior to July 1, 1992, must declare such possession in writing to the department by January 1, 1993. This written declaration shall serve as a permit for possession only, is not transferable, and must be renewed every five years. This written declaration must include species name, common name, number of individuals, date or dates acquired, sex (if possible), estimated age, height or length, and other characteristics such as bands and band numbers, tattoos, registration numbers, coloration, and specific markings. Possession transfer will require a new permit according to the requirements of this subsection.

C. Exception for certain monk parakeets. A permit is not required for monk parakeets (quakers) that have been captive bred and are closed-banded with a seamless band.

D. Exception for parts or products. A permit is not required for parts or products of those nonnative (exotic) animals listed in subsection A that may be used for personal use, in the manufacture of products, or used in scientific research, provided that such parts or products be packaged outside the Commonwealth by any person, company, or corporation duly licensed by the state in which the parts originate. Such packages may be transported into the Commonwealth, consistent with other state laws and regulations, so long as the original package remains unbroken, unopened and intact until its point of destination is reached. Documentation concerning the type and cost of the animal parts ordered, the purpose and date of the order, point and date of shipping, and date of receiving shall be kept by the person, business or institution ordering such nonnative (exotic) animal parts. Such documentation shall be open to inspection by a representative of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

E. Exception for certain mammals. Nonnative (exotic) mammals listed in subsection A, except members of the Cervidae family, African rodents, and prairie dogs, that are imported or possessed by dealers, exhibitors, transporters, and researchers who are licensed or registered by the United States Department of Agriculture under the Animal Welfare Act (7 USC §§ 2131 et seq.) will be deemed to be permitted pursuant to this section, provided that those individuals wanting to import such animals notify the department 24 hours prior to importation with a list of animals to be imported, a schedule of dates and locations where those animals will be housed while in the Commonwealth, and a copy of the current license or licenses or registration or registrations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and further provided that such animals shall not be liberated within the Commonwealth.

F. E. Exception for prairie dogs. The effective date of listing of prairie dogs under subsection A of this section shall be January 1, 1998. Prairie dogs possessed in captivity in Virginia on December 31, 1997, may be maintained in captivity until the animals' deaths, but they may not be sold on or after January 1, 1998, without a permit.

G. F. Exception for snakehead fish. Anglers may legally harvest snakehead fish of the family Channidea, provided that they immediately kill such fish and that they notify the department, as soon as practicable, of such actions.

H. G. All other nonnative (exotic) animals. All other nonnative (exotic) animals not listed in subsection A of this section may be possessed, purchased, and sold; provided, that such animals shall be subject to all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations, including those that apply to threatened/endangered species, and further provided, that such animals shall not be liberated within the Commonwealth.

VA.R. Doc. No. R14-4039; Filed July 9, 2014, 3:05 a.m.