Live Lobsters as Carry On?
Jan 19, 2023, 1:09 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 128
Live Lobsters as Carry On?
Does anyone have any experience with taking live lobsters as carry on? I know it won't be a problem with TSA in Boston as long as the lobsters are packed right. They are used to it. But what about Lufthansa. I'll be changing plane in Munich, and I might have to go through security again there, too. I bet they don't see as many lobsters. My final destination is Romania. In 15 years of going in and out of Romania, they haven't checked my luggage once, so I know customs in Romania won't be a problem.
Jan 19, 2023, 1:16 pm
#2
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You wont go through security in MUC, originating in USA, as to wether its legal to import Lobsters from USA into EU is a different matter & your right, my bags never got checked entering Romania, an issue the EU is not entirely happy with. 
Jan 19, 2023, 5:56 pm
#3
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According to the Regulations, in terms of personal consignment, no live fish are permitted to travel with you into the EU, period. They need to be eviscerated (disembowed) or prepared/processed or they need to be your certified/approved pet.
From the EU website:
"If traveling to the EU from a non-EU country, you are not allowed to bring any meat or dairy products with you. You can however bring a limited quantity of fruit and vegetables as well as eggs, egg products and honey. Restricted quantities of fish or fish products are also allowed" which is then defined as "eviscerated fresh fishery products, or prepared or processed fishery products" - 20 kg or 1 fish (whichever weighs most).
Even if you tried to argue the case as "But they're my pets!", you'd need to lie through your teeth AND also provide hardcopy veterinarian certification on them.
But if you'd like to negotiate with the Customs Office at the Munich Airport and see if there's a way to get around it (an import license of some sort, for example), here you go:
Bayerische Kontrollbehörde für Lebensmittelsicherheit und Veterinärwesen - Grenzkontrollstelle Flughafen München -
Südallee 17
85356 Flughafen München
Tel.: +49 (0)89 97 590 390
Fax: +49 (0)89 97 590 396
E-Mail: [email protected]
From the EU website:
"If traveling to the EU from a non-EU country, you are not allowed to bring any meat or dairy products with you. You can however bring a limited quantity of fruit and vegetables as well as eggs, egg products and honey. Restricted quantities of fish or fish products are also allowed" which is then defined as "eviscerated fresh fishery products, or prepared or processed fishery products" - 20 kg or 1 fish (whichever weighs most).
Even if you tried to argue the case as "But they're my pets!", you'd need to lie through your teeth AND also provide hardcopy veterinarian certification on them.
But if you'd like to negotiate with the Customs Office at the Munich Airport and see if there's a way to get around it (an import license of some sort, for example), here you go:
Bayerische Kontrollbehörde für Lebensmittelsicherheit und Veterinärwesen - Grenzkontrollstelle Flughafen München -
Südallee 17
85356 Flughafen München
Tel.: +49 (0)89 97 590 390
Fax: +49 (0)89 97 590 396
E-Mail: [email protected]
Last edited by Grog; Jan 19, 2023 at 6:12 pm
Jan 20, 2023, 12:54 am
#5
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There is a customs checkpoint for transit passengers and carry on after passport control in T2. It's not staffed on a regular basis, but the OP could be subject to a random check while transiting MUC. How likely that is - who knows.
Jan 20, 2023, 3:11 am
#6
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Jan 20, 2023, 4:59 am
#8
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Jan 20, 2023, 7:11 am
#11
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My concern would be how long the lobsters had been out of water. Bearing in mind that it will have been at altitude which may or may not play a part in this. Will you know how long they will have been packed before all this?
Jan 20, 2023, 9:48 am
#12
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Jan 20, 2023, 9:49 am
#13
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Jan 20, 2023, 9:52 am
#14
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Jan 20, 2023, 10:13 am
#15
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I would have thought 48 hours absolute max. I'm sorry but I do not know what Tasting Heimat is - this was my first time ever bei Lufthansa