ANTIQUE IVORY BAN PROPOSALS: FEDERAL AND STATE GOV'T SITE LINKS

[Chuck Erikson]

Many of you may be aware that there are proposed new federal and state bans on buying or selling any African elephant ivory within the U.S., which will impact vintage instrument owners, collectors, dealers, and those who work on them. To keep things based in facts, here are links to statements from the White House and the USFWS regarding the ivory situation:

Feb. 11, 2014, White House announcement: http://wh.gov/lQOCs.

The above announcement includes a sub-link to the full text of the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking & Commercial Ban on Trade in Elephant Ivory: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default ... icking.pdf.

United States Fish And Wildlife Service (USFWS) Q&A on proposed new regulations: http://www.fws.gov/wildlife-trafficking ... swers.html.

USFWS http://www.fws.gov/international/travel ... swers.html.

The last Q&A also contains sub-headings for “Musicians and musical instrument manufacturers”: http://www.fws.gov/international/travel ... ers.html#7 and for “Antique Dealers”: http://www.fws.gov/international/travel ... ers.html#2.

Some states are also introducing proposed bans (which can be tougher than federal regulations but not less restrictive or in conflict), and it's almost certain that other states will be joining in. Here are the ones from New York and Hawaii:

New York: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=011 ... tory=56115.

Hawaii: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_i ... &year=2014.

[David King]

Thanks for that Chuck.