The state of Louisiana is suing the state of California over its decision to ban the import and sale of alligator products.

In its recent lawsuit, Louisiana is alleging that California's ban will hurt the alligator products market, a vital part of Louisiana's economy, in addition to the marshlands that serve as habitat for the alligators and are preserved for raising them. The state argues that if California's ban goes into effect, “landowners will be forced to greatly reduce or cease their erosion control efforts because they will be unable to economically sustain those efforts, resulting in irreparable harm to their property as well as harm to Louisiana’s sovereign environmental interests in wetland preservation."

According to news reports, California banned alligator skins and meats in the 1970s but repeatedly has issued exceptions that allowed sales; the most recent exemption, scheduled to expire January 1, has not been renewed, prompting the lawsuit. The alligator ban was backed by a coalition of environmental and animal rights groups.

“California has nevertheless attempted to destroy the market for American alligator products notwithstanding the fact that no such alligators live in California," the lawsuit says.

According to Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries, over 300,000 alligators are harvested every year from both farm and wild sources.

—Source: journalstar.com