Sponsors (3)
The bill tightens protections and enforcement to conserve coral reef species and creates legal pathways for compliant aquaculture, but does so by imposing restrictions, compliance costs, and enforcement burdens that will significantly affect small businesses, hobbyists, collectors, and agencies.
General public and coastal communities benefit from stronger protection of coral reef species because the bill reduces destructive harvest and trade that threaten reef ecosystems.
Federal enforcement and conservation efforts are strengthened because the bill creates civil and criminal penalties, forfeiture authority, forensic evidence standards, and citizen-suit provisions to deter illegal trade in reef species.
Aquaculture businesses and qualified breeding programs that meet the bill's standards can legally produce and sell covered reef species, creating lawful supply channels and incentives for conservation-focused businesses.
Small businesses and hobbyist retailers who import, export, or sell reef species face new compliance costs and risk criminal penalties (including up to 2 years' imprisonment for commercial violators), raising financial and legal exposure.
Private individuals, small-scale collectors, and communities that rely on the aquarium/curio trade lose the ability to possess or trade covered species, potentially harming livelihoods and local economies.
Agencies, importers, and enforcement bodies will face increased administrative burdens and resource demands due to expanded enforcement duties and forensic testing requirements.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a new ban on trade, transport, and possession of designated coral reef species, with limited Secretary‑approved exceptions and automatic coverage tied to CITES Appendix II listings.
Official title: To prohibit certain actions with respect to certain marine reef species, and for other purposes.
Introduced March 18, 2025 by Ed Case · Last progress March 18, 2025
Creates a new law that protects certain coral reef species by making it illegal to take, trade, import, export, possess, or transport designated "covered coral reef species" in U.S. waters or in interstate or foreign commerce, with several limited, Secretary‑approved exceptions. Species are automatically covered if listed on CITES Appendix II as of the effective date (and future Appendix II listings unless the Secretary of the Interior, after consulting with Commerce, finds within 90 days that trade does not pose a substantial risk); the Interior and Commerce Secretaries can also jointly add or remove species based on conservation risk or transport mortality. Establishes narrow exemptions for approved scientific management plans, cooperative breeding programs, approved aquaculture/mariculture products, authorized scientific/museum/zoological transfers, and incidental take permits (ESA 10(a)(1)(B)), and sets definitions and enforcement scope for the new statutory prohibition.