New plant blacklist

I heard something about a new list coming out soon.

 

that is why some importation licenses for plants were suspended
this was around about April

 

Glad to hear there is at least some movement perhaps one day they will cast their glance over the fish list.

 

The list is being looked at. Dirk has openly told us that he is in consultation with the department in regards to this list.


No new importing licenses are being issued. Only existing license holders are able to import.

 

The new Aquatic Plant Blacklist from The Department Of Forestry and Fisheries.
Species names: Permitted (1), should be banned, currently permitted (2), Banned (3), non-aquatic ornamental (4), indigenous, potentially invasive outside natural range (5).
Acorus calamus 2
Acorus gramineus 3
Aglaonema `Silver queen' 4
Aglaonema simplex 4
Aglaonema simplex - special 4
Aglaonema species `Minima' 4
Aglaonema species `Narrow leaf' 4
Alternanthera bettzickiana `Aurea' 2
Alternanthera bettzickiana `Green' 2
Alternanthera bettzickiana `Red' 2
Alternanthera cardinalis 2
Alternanthera reineckii 'lilacina' 2
Alternanthera reineckii and varieties 2
Alternanthera ocipus 2
Alternanthera philoxeroides 3
Alternanthera sessilis 3
Ammannia gracilis 1
Ammannia multifolia 3
Ammannia senegalensis 1
Ammoricia aquatica 1
Anubias afzelii 1
Anubias barteri 1
Anubias gigantea 1
Anubias gilletii 1
Anubias gracilis 1
Anubias hastifolia 1
Anubias heterophylla 1
Anubias lanceolata 1
Anubias pynaertii 1
Aponogeton abyssinicus 1
Aponogeton bernierianus 1
Aponogeton boivinianus 1
Aponogeton capuronii 1
Aponogeton crispus 1
Aponogeton crispus X rigidifolius 1
Aponogeton decaryi 1
Aponogeton distachyos 1
Aponogeton elongatus 1
Aponogeton henkelianus 1
Aponogeton jacobsenii 1
Aponogeton junceus 1
Aponogeton longiplumulosus 1
Aponogeton loriae 1
Aponogeton madagascariensis 1
Aponogeton natans 1
Aponogeton ranunculiflorus 1
Aponogeton rehmannii 1
Aponogeton rigidifolius 1
Aponogeton robinsonii 1
Aponogeton tenuispicatus 1
Aponogeton ulvaceus 1
Aponogeton undulatus 2
Azolla caroliniana 3
Azolla filiculoides 3
Azolla nilotica 2
Azolla pinnata 2
Bacopa caroliniana 2
Bacopa lanigera 2
Bacopa monniera 2
Bacopa myriophylloides 2
Barclaya longifolia 1
Barclaya longifolia `Red form' 1
Barclaya motleyi 1
Blyxa alternifolia 1
Blyxa aubertii 1
Blyxa japonica 1
Blyxa novoguineensis 1
Bolbitis heteroclita 1
Bolbitis heudelotii 1
Cabomba aquatica 3
Cabomba caroliniana 3
Cabomba furcata 3
Cabomba palaeformis 3
Caladium arboreum 4
Caladium bicolor 4
Calamus species ` Coconut plant' 4
Calamus species `Bamboo plant' 4
Cardamine lyrata 3
Ceratophyllum demersum 2
Ceratophyllum demersum var. `Mexico' 2
Ceratophyllum submersum 2
Ceratopteris cornuta 1
Ceratopteris pteroides 1
Ceratopteris thalictroides 1
Chamaedorea elegans 4
Chlorophytum bichetii 4
Cladophora aegagrophila 3*
Cordyline `Compacta' 4
Cordyline `Red edge' 4
Crassula helmsi 3
Crinum asiaticum 1
Crinum calamistratum 1
Crinum natans 1
Crinum purpurascens 1
Crinum thaianum 1
Cryptocoryne affinis 1
Cryptocoryne albida 1
Cryptocoryne annamica
Cryptocoryne aponogetifolia 1
Cryptocoryne balansae 1
Cryptocoryne becketii 1
Cryptocoryne blassii 1
Cryptocoryne bogneri 1
Cryptocoryne ciliata 1
Cryptocoryne cordata 1
Cryptocoryne crispatula 1
Cryptocoryne diderici 1
Cryptocoryne ferruginea 1
Cryptocoryne fusca 1
Cryptocoryne gasseri 1
Cryptocoryne griffithii 1
Cryptocoryne hudoroi 1
Cryptocoryne keei 1
Cryptocoryne lingua 1
Cryptocoryne longicauda 1
Cryptocoryne lucens 1
Cryptocoryne lutea 1
Cryptocoryne minima 1
Cryptocoryne moehlmannii 1
Cryptocoryne nevillii 1
Cryptocoryne nurii 1
Cryptocoryne pallidinervia 1
Cryptocoryne parva 1
Cryptocoryne petchii 1
Cryptocoryne pontederiifolia 1
Cryptocoryne purpurea 1
Cryptocoryne retrospiralis 1
Cryptcoryne schulzei 1
Cryptocoryne scurrilis 1
Cryptocoryne spiralis 1
Cryptocoryne striolata 1
Cryptocoryne thwaitesii 1
Cryptocoryne tonkinensis 1
Cryptocoryne undulata 1
Cryptocoryne usteriana 1
Cryptocoryne walkeri 1
Cryptocoryne wendtii 1
Cryptocoryne willisii 1
Crytocoryne vietnamensis
Cyperus alternifolius 3
Cyperus helferi 3
Cyperus papyrus 2
Didiplis diandra 1
Dieffenbachia `Exotica variegatus' 4
Dieffenbachia bausei 4
Dieffenbachia marianne 4
Dieffenbachia picta 4
Dracaena deremensis 4
Dracaena deremensis `Striped' 4
Dracaena godseffiana 4
Dracaena marginata colorama 4
Dracaena sanderiana 4
Dracaena variegatus 4
Echinodorus amazonicus
Echinodorus angustifolia 1
Echinodorus argentinensis 3
Eichnodorus aschersonianus (Hybrid) 1
Echinodorus X barthii 1
Echinodorus berteroi 1
Echinodorus bleheri 1
Echinodorus bolivianus 1
Echinodorus cordifolius 3
"Echinodorus cordifolius 'Tropica
Marble Queen'" 3
Echinodorus grandifolius 3
Echinodorus grisebachii 1
Echinodorus horemanii 1
Echinodorus horizontalis 1
Echinodorus humulus 1
Echinodorus latifolius 1
Echinodorus major 1
Echinodorus macrophyllus 1
Echinodorus martii 1
Echinodorus opacus 1
Echinodorus osiris 1
Echinodorus `Ozelot green' 1
Echinodorus `Ozelot red' 1
Echinodorus palaefolius 1
Echinodorous paniculatus 1
Echinodorus parviflorus 1
Echinodorus parviflorus `Tropica' 1
Echinodorus portoalegrensis 1
Echinodorus quadricosticatus 1
Echinodorus 'Red flame' 1
Echinodorus 'Rose' 1
Echinodorus 'Rubin' 1
Echinodorus scaber 1
Echinodorus schlueteri 1
Echinodorus schlueteri `Leopard' 1
Echinodorus subalatus 1
Echinodorus uruguayensis 1
Egeria densa 3
Egeria densa - special 3
Egeria najas 3
Egleria fluctuans 3
Eichhornia azurea 3
Eichhornia crassipes 2
Eichhornia diversifolia 2
Eichhornia heterosperma 3
Eichhornia natans 5
Elatine triandra 1
Eleocharis acicularis 3
Eleocharis parvula 3
Eleocharis pusilla 3
Eleocharis retroflexa 3
Eleocharis vivipara 3
Elodea canadensis 3
Elodea nuttallii 3
Eriocaulon setaceum 3
Eustralis stellata 1
Fallopia japonica 4 suggest 2
Fittonia argyronanta 4
Glossostigma elatinoides 1
Gymnocoronis spilanthoides 3
Gymnocoronis spilanthoides `Variegated' 3
Helianthum tenellum 3
Hemianthus callitrichoides "Cuba" 1
Hemianthus micranthemoides 1
Hemianthus umbrosum 1
Hemigraphis colorata 4
Hemigraphis colorata `Exotica' 4
Hemigraphis colorata `Exotica' - broad leaf 4
Hemigraphis colorata `Exotica' - narrow leaf 4
Hemigraphis colorata `Exotica' - rooted 4
Hemigraphis repanda 3
Hemigraphis species 4
Hemigraphis species `Mini' 4
Heteranthera dubia 3
Heteranthera reniformis 3
Heteranthera zosterfolia 3
Houttuynia cordata 3
Hydrilla verticillata 3
Hydrocleys nymphaeoides/ nymphoides 3
Hydrocotyle bonariensis 4
Hydrocotyle leucocephala 3
Hydrocotyle ranunculoides 3
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides 3
Hydrocotyle verticillata 3
Hydrotriche hottoniiflora ?
Hygrophila balsamica 3
Hygrophila angustifolia 3
Hygrophila corymbosa 3
Hygrophila corymbosa "broad-leaved" 3
Hygrophila corymbosa "narrow-leaved" 3
Hygrophila difformis 3
Hygrophila difformis `Variegated' 3
Hygrophila polysperma 3
Hygrophila polysperma `Broad leaf' 3
Hygrophila polysperma var. "CEYLON" 3
Hygrophila polysperma 'Mini' 3
Hygrophila polysperma var. 'Rosanervig' 3
Hygrophila salicifolia 5
Hymenachne amplexicaulis 3
Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa 4
Iris pseudacorus 3
Isoetes velata var. sicula 3
Lagarosiphon cordofanus 5
Lagarosiphon madagascariensis 5
Lagarosiphon major 5
Lagenandra jacobsenii 4
Lagenandra nairii 4
Lagenandra ovata 4
Lagenandra praetermissa 4
Lagenandra thwaitesii 4
Lemna gibba 3
Lemna minor 3
Lemna trisulca 3
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis 1
Lilaeopsis carolinensis 3
Lilaeopsis mauritiana 1
Lilaeopsis novaezelandiae 3
Limnobium laevigatum 3
Limnobium spongia 3
Limnocharis flava 3
Limnophila aquatica 3
Limnophila aromatica 3
Limnophila aromaticoides 3
Limnophila dasyantha 3
Limnophila heterophylla 3
Limnophila hippuroides 3
Limnophila indica 3
Limnophila sessiliflora 3
Lindernia rotundifolia 1
Lindernia rotundifolia `Variegated' 1
Lindernia parviflora 1
Lobelia cardinalis 3
Lobelia cardinalis `Small form' 3
Lobelia chinensis 3
Lobelia purpurascens 3
Lomariopsis "Susswassertang" 1
Ludwigia arcuata
Ludwigia brevipes 1
Ludwigia glandulosa 1
Ludwigia helminthorrhiza 3
Ludwigia inclinata 1
Ludwigia inclinata var. verticilata "Cuba" 1
Ludwigia natans 3
Ludwigia ovalis 3
Ludwigia palustris 3
Ludwigia palustris variegatus 3
Ludwigia peploides subsp. Montevidensis 3
Ludwigia perennis 3
Ludwigia peruviana 3
Ludwigia repens 3
Ludwigia sedioides 3
Lysimachia nummularia 3
Lythrum hyssopifolium 3
Lythrum salicaria 3
Marsilea crenata 3
Marsilea mutica 3
Marsilea quadrifolia 3
Mayaca fluviatilis 1
Mayaca sellowiniana 1
Menyanthes trifoliate 3
Micranthemum umbrosum 1
Microsorium pteropus 1
Microsorium pteropus 'fine-leaved' 1
Microsorium pteropus 'Windelov' 1
Microsorium pteropus 'Tropica' 1
Monochoria hastata 3
Monochoria vaginalis 3
Monoselenium tenerum 1
Murdannia nudiflora 3
Murdannia keisak 3
Myriophyllum aquaticum 3
Myriophyllum elatinoides 3
Myriophyllum hippuroides 3
Myriophyllum matogrossense 3
Myriophyllum pinnatum 3
Myriophyllum papillosium 3
Myriophyllum propinquum 3
Myriophyllum scabratum - emerge 3
Myriophyllum simulans 3
Myriophyllum spicatum 3
Myriophyllum ussuriense 3
Myriophyllum tuberculatum 3
Najas conferta 3
Najas guadalupensis 3
Najas indica 3
Najas marina 3
Nechamandra alterniflora 3
Neptunia oleraceae 5
Nesaea crassicaulis 1
Nesaea pedicellata 1
Nuphar japonica 3
Nuphar shimadai 3
Nymphaea X daubenyana 3
Nymphaea glandulifera 3
Nymphaea dauben 3
Nymphaea lotus `Tiger lotus green' 3
Nymphaea lotus`Tiger lotus red' 3
Nymphaea mexicana 3
Nymphaea micrantha 3
Nymphaea nouchali burn var nouchali 3
Nymphaea rubra 3
Nymphaea rudgeana 3
Nymphoides aquatica 3
Nymphoides crenata 3
Nymphoides ezannoi 3
Nymphoides fallax 3
Nymphoides forbesiana 3
Nymphoides geminate 3
Nymphoides hydrophylla 3
Nymphoides indica 3
Nymphoides microphylla 3
Nymphoides peltata
Nymphoides thunbergiana 3
Ophiopogon jaburan 4
Ophiopogon japonica 4
Ottelia alismoides 3
Ottelia brasiliensis 3
Ottelia mesenterium 1
Ottelia ulvifolia 1
Oryza rufipogon 3
Peliosanthes species 4
Pellia endiviifolia 1
Persicaria hydropiper 3
Phragmites karka 3
Phyllanthus fluitans 3
Physostegia purpurea 4
Pistia stratiotes 3
Pogostemon helferi 1
Pogostemon stellatus "Narrow Leaf' 1
Polygonum micranthum 3
Polygonum pedunculare 3
Pontederia cordata 3
Pontederia rotundifolia 3
Potamageton crispus 1
Potamageton gayi 3
Potamageton perfoliatus 3
Potomageton octandrus 3
Potomageton schweinfurthii 1
Potomageton wrightii 3
Ranunculus limosella 3
Ranunculus scleratus 3
Reussia rotundifolia 3
Rhizophora mucronata 4
Riccia fluitans 5
Ricciocarpus natans 3
Rorippa aquatica 3
Rotala indica 3
Rotala macrandra 1
Rotala pusilla 1
Rotala rotundifolia 3
Rotala wallichii 1
Rotala "Nanjenshan" 1
Sagittaria lancifolia 3
Sagittaria montevidensis var montevidensis 3
Sagittaria platyphylla 3
Sagittaria sagittifolia 3
Sagittaria subulata 3
Salvinia auriculata 3
Salvinia cucullata 3
Salvinia hastata 5
Salvinia oblongifolia 3
Salvinia molesta 3
Salvinia natans 3
Samolus valerandi 3
Saururus cernuus 3
Saururus chinensis 3
Schismatoglottis 4
Selaginella wildenowii 4
Shinnersia rivularis 3
Solanum tampicense 3
Sparganium erectum 3
Spartina sp. 3
Spathiphyllum cannaefolium 4
Spathiphyllum petite 4
Spathiphyllum species 4
Spathiphyllum wallisii 4
Spiranthes graminea 1
Spiranthes odorata 1
Spirodela polyrhiza 3
Stratiotes aloides 3
Syngonium `Red Knight' 4
Syngonium podophyllum 4
Syngonium species `White Butterfly' 4
Tonina fluviatilis 1
Trapa natans 5
Trapa natans var bispinosa 5
Trapa natans var pumila nakano 5
Trichocoronis rivularis 3
Trichomanes javanicum `Aqua fern' 1
Trichomanes javanicum `Borneo fern' 1
Trichomanes rivularis variegatus 1
Typha capensis 5
Utricularia aurea 3
Utricularia gibba 3
Utricularia graminifolia 1
Utricularia inflexa 1
Utricularia stellaris 1
Valisneria americana var. americana 3
Valisneria americana var. biwaensis 3
Vallisneria americana var. natans 3
Vallisneria asiatica 3
Vallisneria contortionist 3
Vallisneria gigantea `Green' 3
Vallisneria gigantea `Rubra' 3
Vallisneria nana 3
Vallisneria spiralis 3
Vallisneria spiralis `Red' 3
Vallisneria spiralis `Striped' 3
Vallisneria spiralis var. spiralis 3
Vallisneria torta 3
Wolffia arrhiza 3
Wolffia neglecta 3
Wolffia welwitschii 3
Zizania gigantea 3
Zosterella dubia 3
Fontinalis antipyretica
Fissidens fontanus 1
Fissidens nobilis 1
Taxiphyllum barbieri 1
Taxiphyllum 'Flame moss' 1
Taxiphyllum 'Giant moss' 1
Taxiphyllum 'Peacock moss' 1
Taxiphyllum 'Spiky moss' 1
Taxiphyllum alternans 1
Vesicularia dubyana 1
Vesicularia ferrieri 1
Vesicularia montagnei 1
Vesicularia reticulata 1

 

*gets popcorn and waits for the action*

 

Please provide link to this information.

 

http://www.apsa.co.za/board/index.php?topic=7844.0

 

Thanks Dewald, I'll pop over and have a full read on what has changed from the draft copy that was sent.
This certainly is breaking news!! You go guys!!

 

Guys, this is the import bl.
There is another list that has plants there that you can grow it here and sell or trade but cannot import.. Go figure

 

I received this list from the DAFF... It is the importers blacklist. It has been looked over very carefully by a number of people, and I think it is very good. Unless you like Vallis, Hygro's and Nymphea species! Hehehe...

Anyway, it's definitely a step in the right direction, now they must just issue the permits again. Not sure how long that process will take though.

 

nnooo i dont want to have to remove my vallis

 

its the only plant that survives the guppy tank

 

yea, well i will wait untill all this is settled and explained properly before i go about destroying my plants. i think that if the plant is in the country already then there is no problem,... you just are not able to IMPORT IT!! that is what i understand so far.

 

Ok, so I received a little clarification. If your plant scored a 5 on that list, then it needs to be destroyed. Anything under that, and you can keep it in your tank.

 

so does this mean that i can ask members on TASA if they have anubias nana for me? since it if off the blacklist now?

 

Can be traded within the country.:bigsmile:

 

Yup... Anubias are no longer blacklisted.

 

Great news about the new list!

 

Hi Everyone,

In view of the fact that I have played a major role in drawing up this list, I would like to clarify some of the aspects in order to prevent misunderstandings.

PLEASE READ THE WHOLE OF MY POST AND CAREFULLY BEFORE SHOOTING ME!

I would also like to point out that this list was developed since December 2011, by Jaqualine Tschidada, formerly of the Department of Agriculture until the end of August 2012 when she started working at the department of Environmental Affairs, Vuledzani Mutavhatsindi of the Department of Agriculture and myself. Miss Tschidada and Mr Vutashatsindi are both qualified with degrees in botany. I was specifically invited by the Department of Agriculture to assist in the development of this list in view of my professional capacity, and because members of the industry had requested that I assist in this process. International sources such as the international compendium of weeds were extensively consulted as well as other sources of information on aquatic plants. I would also like to point out that I received no payment for my services and this was done in my own private time over many hours and with the assistance of my extensive and expensive private library of aquatic plants.

The list shows 481 species of plants of which each one was assessed for invasive potential and threat to South African biodiversity using a number of criteria. This was a huge task and this took a lot of time to develop and lot of time to check that everything had been done correctly. This is the most comprehensive list of aquatic plants ever assessed in South Africa.

On 16 August 2012, an aquatic weed risk assessment workshop was held at the Department of Agriculture in Arcadia, Pretoria. Persons who attended were from all regulatory bodies, in other words border and airport control, the South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Pet Traders Association, the South African Nursery Association, members from various nature conservation bodies throughout the country and members of the Department of Agriculture as well as myself. At this meeting the new list was presented and discussed extensively. In my opinion, there was an overwhelmingly positive response from all that attended, and everyone felt that we were moving forward on the issue of the issuing of new import permits. However, there were a few new plants which we included and assessed as a result of requests from nature conservation authorities.

The list as it now stands has, as is mandatory, been sent to interested parties for comment and feedback. This is part of the democratic process which I think we all welcome in the new South Africa, everyone can make a comment or complaint about this, which then needs to be carefully considered so that the Department of Agriculture is quite sure that everyone has been granted their democratic rights. So this is where the list stands at the moment. If you want to complain, do so now, now is your chance, but you will need to motivate on scientific grounds why you think that a plant should be permitted.

If this list is approved after this, in other words, if there are no major problems or appeals against it, it becomes part of the Department of Agriculture's regulations. Permits can then be issued for the import of those plants that are permitted according to this list.

With regard to the categories of the listing, I would like to clarify what this means:

1. "Permitted" will mean that all of the plants in this category can be imported if the importer is in possession of an import permit which anyone can apply for from the Department of Agriculture.

2. If listed as "should be banned, currently permitted" it means that according to the old import lists the plant species was permitted, but will not be permitted according the new list, so effectively it is banned and imports of it will not be permitted.

3. "Banned", means that the plant may not be imported.

4. "Non-aquatic ornamental" means that a plant can grow above water as well and could therefore be invasive as a normal above water plant. Under these circumstances, if someone wishes to import such a plant, then he/she would have to apply for a permit for the normal import of horticultural plants. The reason for this category, is because although such a plant may be an occasional aquatic, the assessment of whether it is invasive needs to be done by normal horticulturalists and not as an aquatic plant. What this does is it means that all of the above water plants that we know don't grow under water, will have to be imported with a different set of permits, and this will protect the unknowing aquarist effectively from buying non-aquatic plants.

5. "Indigenous, potentially invasive outside the natural range" is a special category into which not many plants fall, but which will mean that such plants may not be imported. In this case, this would include plants that are indigenous, and you may say, they should therefore be permitted, but where we know that new imports can result in the release of these plants in areas where they can become a problem. An example is Hygrophila salicifolia which occurs naturally in KZN. Although it occurs there, this species may become invasive in other areas in South Africa and therefore should rather not be imported.

So what does this mean for our aquatic plants at the moment? Well until the list is approved it means that nothing changes! After it is approved, it applies as AN IMPORT LIST ONLY. It does not mean that all of the non-permitted plants are banned all of a sudden and need to be destroyed! It will also mean that those plants that have been imported before and do not pose a serious threat can be multiplied and traded in SA, but not imported any longer, that is all. However, new regulations with regard to aquatic plants which need to be regulated will be drafted and will include plants such as as water hyacinth and perhaps others such as Elodea and then nature conservation authorities can prosecute someone that grows these plants. However, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU NOW HAVE TO DESTROY YOUR PLANTS.

What this also means is that if new aquatic plants are discovered and you want to import them, you can apply to the Department of Agriculture, the plants can be assessed according to the criteria that we have drawn up and then, if they are approved, can be added to the list very simply. There is no longer going to be this fixed permitted list that cannot be changed, the new system will be much more flexible.

Finally, I would like to add that I think that in my opinion the list is for the first time scientifically justifiable and scientifically based on sound information applicable to South African circumstances, and that there are many attractive and exciting aquatic plants now that the enthusiastic aquarist will be able to obtain from importers for her or his aquarium.

Kind regards,

Dirk