Subject: Butterfly collection/permits to sell

From: [email-masked] (Samuel Sun)
Date: 28 May 1995 17:06:27 GMT

It is my understanding that on National Forest and BLM lands, collection of
butterflies for private collections is permitted (at least for now!)
However, it is also my understanding that to trade or sell butterflies
collected on public lands constitutes "commerce" and a permit is then
required.  Could anyone provide a reference or interpretation of the
pertinent laws, as I do not have them?  Also, I do not assume there is a
difference in the law's applicability based on intent, i.e. I am taking a
trip to a place to collect for trade vs. I am taking a trip to collect for
myself, and years after the trip, decide I want to sell some excess
specimens.

Seeing as how most lands in the Southern California area are either BLM or
National Forest, with the exception of such places as Downtown Los Angeles,
and also seeing the level of enforcement suddenly being brought on by the
FWS, I am loathe to release specimens of which I have no use for, and for
which I feel are valuable enough that junking them is a waste.

One final question - does anyone know the cost and process of obtaining a
permit?  Are they issued on an annual basis, and if so, can a permit now
allow me to distribute butterflies collected in the past?

Thanks in advance,

Sam Sun