(Daff)
Ertur 635
Note for Foreign Secretary: Ivory control in Hong Kong
controlled.
The ivory trade in Hong Kong is strictly.
Licences are required:
HKCISI/1
(a)
to import;
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
(b)
to possess; and
SK OFFICER
(c) to export
Miss Mansory Mr Stone 0211
29 JAN 1990-
ESTRE Mein HK)
Action Taken
any quantity of ivory for commercial purposes. Personal
effects of worked ivory up to 1kg (in respect of import) and
5kg (in respect on possession and export) are exempt. At the
present time the issue of ivory import licences has been suspended for commercial shipments. To deter illegal imports
and enhance controls over existing stocks:
(a)
all ivory stocks in Hong Kong must be identified and
registered with the Hong Kong Management Authority;
a computer data base has been set up to monitor the
movement of all registered ivory;
(b) all companies dealing in commercial quantities of
ivory are required to take out possession licences;
(c)
(a)
(e)
the export of all commercial quantities of all forms
of ivory is required to be licensed in advance by
the Hong Kong Management Authority;
a Special Task Force has been set up in the Customs
and Excise Department. It works in close co-operation with the Agriculture and Fisheries
Department to investigate and suppress any illegal
ivory trade through Hong Kong;
maximum fines for violating our endangered species legislation have been increased 5-fold to HK$50, 000
(about US$6,400) to deter would-be offenders. This
is in addition to the mandatory forfeiture of
consignments found to be illegal.