[Nhcoll-l] Brazil

[Greenhall, Paul]

Brazil's regulations old fashioned?!  Annoying and time consuming - Yes.  But with movies being made about life saving chemicals found in plants and such, and others making millions but giving nothing back to the Brazilian community  then I totally agree and support any country determined to protect their Natural Heritage. Especially when researchers will collect and or borrow liquid preserved specimens and or tissue from one agency, then harvest tissue with or without permission and send it to others without prior permission to do so.  That form of research sharing only exacerbates biopiracy issues.  It is no wonder that other countries, especially the EU, have become acutely concerned over such sharing and make the real distinction between non-profit research and for profit harvesting of tissue.

Biopiracy makes each research agency that is interested in the advancement of science and the natural world ensure that ownership of the specimens, in part or whole, is clear.  And that includes import/export permits, collecting permits and any other document that proves that best efforts were made to attain the material legally.  And whether we as museum specialist like to admit it or not, this is important as it protects one's agency from any legal action resulting from illegal harvesting of tissue and or organs and so forth.

We as museum professional(s) and or in the research community have a responsibility to ensure that all specimens were and are collected following appropriate wildlife regulations foreign and domestic.  Collections management specialists routinely deal with such regulations, and even though they may be annoying and time consuming, being proactive in prefiling imort/export declarations and ensuring that all appropriate documents accompany specimens while intransit safe guards specimens and leaves a paper trail demonstrating best efforts were followed.


Sincerely,
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Paul R. Greenhall (greenhal at si.edu<mailto:greenhal at si.edu>) (Retired - 40 years SI Dedicated Service)
(voice (301) 238 1758)
Volunteer, MSC Collections Management Packing & Shipping Consultant
Department of Invertebrate Zoology
Smithsonian Institution
Museum Support Center
4210 Silver Hill Road
Suitland MD 20746

*Scientific Research Specimens in minimal fluid have to be shipped (domestic & international) via parcel delivery service, such as FedEx, DHL, UPS, as well as packed & labelled according to IATA SP A180. These shipments are Not Restricted.

Please note: It is ILLEGAL to mail or post liquid preserved specimens using USPS, TNT, EMS, and or mis-label such a parcel with both Excepted Quantity & IATA A180 label(s).

*All parcels with specimens should be Addressed & shipped to Smithsonian Institution, MSC c/o William Moser, 4210 Silver Hill RD, Suitland MD 20746/fax 301 238 1833).

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