BajaNomad

sea shells and clams crossing to US?

Trueheart - 4-5-2013 at 10:26 PM

Wondering if anyone has info on this? I recall my sweetie bringing back sea shells from MX before, by plane, and went through customs fine. Brought back fish as well.

Will the US border folks give us a hassle this time (sea shells) if they're in our vehicle?

Also, what problems are there with bringing clams back across? I thought I remembered reading where lobsters were okay.

Thanks.

Steve

woody with a view - 4-6-2013 at 06:38 AM

they don't care about shells. they seem to care about fire/drift wood and mammal bones.

they don't care about clams or lobster as long as you have personal quantities, whatever that is? Mexican law says you shant possess ANY shellfish but it has never been an issue that i know of.

sancho - 4-6-2013 at 10:40 AM

In the Mex fishing regs, it is technically illegal to
take shellfish, lobster, clams, etc. I'm not sure
you can collect beach shells and bring them back,
but in reality no one cares.
Especially the clam part, these along with other
regs, are routinely ignored. I don't believe US
Customs would care if you bring back those items,
if you purchased those lobsters, I might ask for a reciept
if possible

Loretana - 4-6-2013 at 11:13 AM

I had lobster tails, cabrilla, and sea shells in my suitcase when I flew into Los Angeles from Loreto last month.

I mentioned everything to the Customs Inspector, because there are some questions about food on the Customs form you fill out on the aircraft.

The Customs guy said "lucky you, I love fish and lobster"! No seizure, no duty, they are obviously permissible.

DavidE - 4-6-2013 at 11:47 AM

In 1988 at Nogales

"Thirty kilos of shrimp?"

"I like shrimp!"

"You must!"

dizzyspots - 4-6-2013 at 12:24 PM

We got pulled into secondary...coming back from Gonzaga Bay..because I didnt declare a plastic wrapped small bundle of firewood that I had purchased in the US (Circle K) about 6 days before!!!,,,,When I said .."I brought in in from the US...just taking it back home"...his reply was "I didnt ask you where it was from..I asked you if you had anything to declare"...then came a terse lecture of what the fine could have been,,,,,,"

BAJA.DESERT.RAT - 4-6-2013 at 12:31 PM

hola Trueheart,

i am not aware of the sea shell embargo but i have been bringing fish caught in san quintin and dozens of oysters from the oyster farm in san quintin for years and i have always declared them verbally at the tijuana and tecate crossings with no problems.

this past august, i brought back quite a bit of fish and about 10 dozen oysters and when i declared it at tecate, the agent just looked in two ice chests and sent me on my way.

BIEN SALUD,

DA RAT

woody with a view - 4-6-2013 at 12:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by dizzyspots
When I said .."I brought in in from the US...just taking it back home"...his reply was "I didnt ask you where it was from..I asked you if you had anything to declare"...then came a terse lecture of what the fine could have been,,,,,,"


i'm tempted to declare, "I declare I knowingly have nothing illegal in my possesion and you and your buddies are free to have a look!"

micah202 - 4-6-2013 at 08:10 PM

....clams and shells?....no problem.

.....anything related to -any- bird is cause for deep suspicion,,and causes hassles..........even mexican chicken eggs (and avocadoes),,get seized.

........the concern is avian flu,,,,even if you suggest the bird just as easily -flies- across the border!!:rolleyes:

They care if they want to care...

Mulegena - 4-6-2013 at 10:21 PM

If you bring more than a kilo of shells into US Customs they can hassle you and offer you the option of relinquishing the shells to them or turning around back into Mexico and exiting again in Otay Mesa to declare the shells and pay import duties.

True story... mine.

woody with a view - 4-7-2013 at 07:56 AM

A KILO? damn, i guess i'm lucky we didn't get that guy at the border in Dec. on the way home from BA we stopped at the dump in GN and grabbed about 75 manos de leon scallop shells from the piles and piles of shells littering the joint. they are going to be mortared onto the risers of my front and back steps. we got some smaller shells also to mix up the pattern a bit.:light:

Vince - 4-8-2013 at 12:54 PM

They must have changed the regs since the '70's. We had a gunnysack half full of clams we dug at Conception Bay and they (US Customs) made us dump them in the trash at the border. We declared them. Next time we ate them all down there.