No Leeches to Canada, but perhaps the UK?

Over a decade ago, the Canadian government found a NAFTA loophole, and banned the transport of live leeches from the United States into Canada. This was detrimental to a lot of leech wholesalers, but there wasn't much we could do. Today, even as a retailer, and with the power of the internet's reach, I now have lots of Canadian customers - that I really can't have. Just today, I was on the phone conspiring with a retailer in Canada as to how he could come over the border, pick up leeches, and take them back (still legal for some with the resort license).

However, I have also been getting contacted by fishermen in the UK recently. They pay outrageous amounts of money to fish with leeches over there. I mean, life changing amounts of money if I could sell them in the UK. So today, I drafted a nice little email to the UK Environment Agency asking about the legality of exporting leeches from the US into the UK. We'll see what that produces.

If nothing else, I plan to pursue my quest to raise ribbon/bait leeches in captivity, with the hope that one day we can produce enough to take our little leech freak show on the road to places like Canada, and the UK. Who knows...it could be sooner than you think!

Posted via email from Jewell Outdoors