(part 2)
It's "in the mail."
the fish are airborne
The fish were scheduled to arrive on Northwest at 10 am on a Tuesday. At 7am I received an email from Oliver stating that the shipment was on its way. Of the thirty-three species we ordered, only two were unavailable and two others could be shipped only in partial numbers. So far, so good.
I expected the airport's cargo service to call when the shipment arrived. By 1:00 I called Northwest. The representative confirmed that the two boxes were there. I left work early and headed for Christmas--oh, I mean the airport.
The fish are in.
Now I start jumping through the hoops to get them.
the cargo dock (part I)
When I arrived at dock number 19, I was met promptly and given everything I needed right away--not! I had to wait behind a couple of semi-truckers. When my turn came, I made my request. The clerk gave me some Northwest Airlines papers. I started heading for Customs, but before I got to the car I noticed that none of these papers looked like the ones which Oliver was to prepare and attach to the fish boxes. I needed the papers that listed the species for the Wildlife Department to approve. I went back to desk and took my place in line--behind a couple of different truckers.
When I got up to the front, I explained that I needed the papers that were attached to one of the boxes. The attendant went out to the storage area and returned with the papers. I proceeded to Customs which is located on the north end of the HHH charter terminal.
The next hoop.
Fish and Wildlife? I everything is handled through Customs.
I wonder if the real Santa has to go through all this?
trying to clear U.S. Customs
I explained my need to the lady at the Customs desk. Ten minutes later I saw the officer who helped answered my questions on the phone. Again, he was quite willing to help, but he said he would have to clear the species list with a particular officer from Fish and Wildlife, and he wasn't sure where she was. After maybe half an hour, he informed me that this person had left early because it had been a slow day. He left a message at a Chicago office to see if someone there could clear my species list. "I will not panic. I will not panic."
In the meantime, this officer explained the required paperwork and helped me fill out a few forms. He gave me several copies of the form and suggested that next time I fill them out and get approval in advance. That way I could be in and out in a matter of a few minutes.
While I waited, a different officer queried me about using quarantine tanks. He also questioned if I were a business bringing in so many species. I assured him that I am a hobbyist coordinating all of these species for the personal use of these species by myself and fellow hobbyists.
I had to wait over an hour, but eventually my species list cleared and my forms were approved. I had to pay a nine dollar processing fee. After waiting for over an hour at Customs, I was finally on my way to pick up the fish boxes.
Back in line.
Would I get better service if I put on a red suit and a fake white beard?
the cargo dock (part II)
This time I had to wait behind only one trucker. I presented the paper work and my order was queued for processing. The cargo came C.O.D., so I handed a fifty and a ten when asked for fifty-seven dollars. This office was not set up for pay-at-the-desk business, so the attendant took five minutes to get change from some other department.
When the forklift operator brought the pallet with my two boxes, a third was on it. I pointed out that only two were mine and that I was expecting only two. After looking more carefully at my slip, we realized that the third box had been erroneously included on my billing. The attendant took about ten minutes to recalculate my shipping charge and I was refunded a whole six dollars. Of course, he had to take another five minutes to go to that other office to get the refund money.
Hey!I even have a fireplace.
opening the presents
Finally, I was able to load Santa's sleigh with his bags of...sorry.
I loaded the two double fish boxes into my car. When I got home, I cradled my two boxes downstairs and set them before the hearth of my fireplace (really!). With the enthusiasm I once had as a boy on Christmas Eve, I grabbed a knife and quickly-but-carefully opened the first box.
Bag by bag, I quickly reviewed the size and condition of the fish. On my first quick inspection of box one, I did not notice any fatalities. I began calling those who were waiting to let them know Santa came--I mean that their fish were in.
If only December 25th was this exciting!
everybody gets theirs
Just like a family Christmas setting, paper and boxes were being tossed to the sides. Fish bags were being grouped according to their recipients. As several aquarists came before the fireplace to revel in each other's prizes, laughter and good cheer swelled to fill the room.
Of the 357 fish we received, all but 9 made it through that evening. Since live delivery was guaranteed, I promptly reported the losses within twelve hours of the shipment's arrival. Oliver voiced no objections and I was credited the difference. Perhaps anticipation of some loss was another reason why he asked an initial payment for less than the total amount.
my thoughts right after my first import experience
This was the first full-fledge import (my first Christmas) which I coordinated. As I presented the fish list, I laid out some ground rules: In case of any problem such as lost or damaged fish, each person takes the financial risk for his/her own order. All unforeseen expenses will be shared by each participant based upon the dollar amount ordered. Everyone must come and get his/her fish the day the fish arrive.
A couple of problems arose which I will have to address the next time I import a shipment:
Particularly, everyone should expect the possibility of some losses, so don't order just one pair. Two people ordered the same species, one ordered six and the other a pair. Two did not make it. I did not want the guy ordering six to take both loses because someone else ordered only one pair, yet I did not want to give a single fish to the guy who ordered a pair. Fortunately, we came to a resolution, but next time the ground rules will include that a pair is not guaranteed if the aquarist orders only a two of a species.
Two other problems occurred. The African darter tetra that I and three others ordered (Nannocharax sp.) turned out to be a different African tetra, Nannaethiops unitaeniatus. We all shared the risk, but this fish was inexpensive and the Nannaethiops is a more attractive species. Also, a couple of rare Pelvicachromis (krib) species were each short by one fish. In each case I was credited.
All in all, it was a good Christmas, ...er, import experience. From a single Internet post requesting uncommon tetras, I obtained five characins (tetras), two rare Pelvicachromis species, an Apistogramma, and a killifish-all rare and new species for me. Better than that, I established a contact from which I will be able to obtain uncommon species in the future.
Christmas will no longer come just once a year!
Come back next week!
The Current Importing Rules
the rules have changed (are being enforced) since my first experience
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Randy's Fishroom