I have a friend coming to visit from the US and I want him to bring me som LR.... now I checked Cites to see if any permits were required and below is what i found... Are you guys reading this the same way I am? (ie. no permit required?.. just appropriate labeling?).
"Are there any restrictions or permit requirements to import coral or live rock for my personal aquarium?"
Many corals (Helioporidae, Tubiporidae, Antipatharia, Scleratinia, Milleporidae, Stylasteridae) are listed in Appendix II of CITES. This listing means that you will need to obtain a CITES export permit issued by the country of export. The company from which you are buying it (or yourself if the company refuses) would have to apply for the CITES permit and the original documents must accompany the shipment through Customs. Your supplier/exporter should contact his national CITES Management Authority for further information. A list can be found at
www.cites.org on the "National contacts" section. When for your personal aquarium, coral is regulated by CITES when traded as 1) live coral transported in water, and, 2) dead coral traded in the form of coral pieces in which the structure of the polyps is still visible and intact.
"Live rock" is defined as pieces of coral rock (i.e. rock that does not contain coral or in which the coral is fossilized) to which are attached many forms of microscopic or macroscopic marine life (algae, sponges, molluscs, etc.) that live on and inside the substrate rock. In general, "live rock" is not regulated by CITES, unless organisms from CITES-listed species are attached to the substrate.
The labelling of the product is therefore very important and must identify the substrate composition and all the attached organisms on that substrate. The substrate would be controlled by CITES only where it consists of live coral (for example from the genus Scleractinia). You will also need a CITES permit if the substrate is mineral rock with CITES-listed organisms on it. However, "live rock" would not require CITES permits if the substrate and all the organisms on it are not CITES-listed. Identification of species on the accompanying documentation must be by their scientific latin names.