I heard something about them banning shipments from fiji. I think that's why marcorocks were having a hard time getting their shipment?? But that's what i heard so i'm not too sure.
From what I understand Fiji has not been cooperating with the CITES agreement and a lot of their distributors have been shipping stuff on the banned list. The people receiving the shipments in the states have been taking it in the neck cause the Customs people have been confiscating everything. Some are not the most well trained and have grabbed corals that are allowed along with banned items, cause it's hard to tell what's what sometimes. I have been witness to some very ugly scenes at the Cargo pick up at O'Hare, when a custom agent decides to open 20 or 30 boxes and just starts grabbing things and won't listen to reason.
It's actually being held in Cal. My connection there was getting in 1200 pounds and when he went to pick it up they confiscated it. He said it does not look like there going to release it anytime soon. I have a feeling where going to start seeing more and more of this kind of stuff happening.
Fiji was not suppose to release anymore rock. The government banned the collection of it and also the exporting of it.
USF&W are almost too strick with imports.....
Are we sure we are not confusing the Tonga Ban with Fiji? As far as we know Fiji is shipping well and we have been getting regular shipments cleared by USF&WL.
Judging by the date of this thread I'm guessing that your shipper was shipping under last years quota. The 09 quota was not due to be announced and issued until late Jan early Feb.
There was at least one shipper that I heard of that decided it was ok to use some "left over" quota from last year, a gray area at best.