Lacey Act of 1900

• -National Act

• -Amended 1969, 1981, 1988, 2008. The 1969 amendments expanded to include amphibians, reptiles, mollusks, and crustaceans.

• -2008 amendments expanded its protection to a broader range of plants and plant products.

Description and Environmental Issues Affected

• The law prohibits the transportation of illegally captured or prohibited animals across state lines.

• The purposes of the Act are to:

• 1. aid in the restoration of game and other wild birds in parts of the U.S. where they have become scarce or extinct and

• 2. to regulate the introduction of American or foreign birds or animals

• Today the law is primarily used to prevent the importation or spread of potentially dangerous non-native species

• ZEBRA MUSSELS- non-native species

Agency/Group Responsible for Regulation and Enforcement

• regulations must be enforced by the Secretary, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Secretary of the Treasury

• Can make certain warrantless arrests, detain and inspect vessels and containers upon entry and departure from the U.S., and require the production of documents and permits