FRIDAY, JULY 17, 1987
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BILL TO BAN USE OF CYANIDE FOR FISHING
PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS TO PROHIBIT THE USE OF CYANIDE AND OTHER TOXIC SUBSTANCES FOR FISHING WERE TODAY (FRIDAY) PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.
THE
ON THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, THE FISHERIES PROTECTION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1987 WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO INCREASE THE PENALTY USING EXPLOSIVES OR TOXIC SUBSTANCES IN FISHING.
FOR
ANNOUNCING DETAILS OF THE LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS, THE ACTING ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (FISHERIES) OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, MR PHILIP CHEUNG, SAID THE MAIN PROVISIONS OF THE BILL AND THE REGULATIONS MADE THEREUNDER SOUGHT TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM PENALTIES TO A FINE OF $10,000 AND AN IMPRISONMENT OF SIX MONTHS.
THE EXISTING FISHERIES PROTECTION REGULATIONS PROVIDE FOR A MAXIMUM FINE OF $2,000 AND IMPRISONMENT OF THREE MONTHS FOR CONTRAVENING THE PROHIBITION WHILE THE PENALTIES FOR ANY PERSON IN CHARGE OF A VESSEL INVOLVED IN SUCH A CONTRAVENTION ARE A FINE OF $2,000 AND IMPRISONMENT OF TWO MONTHS.
MR CHEUNG SAID: "PRIOR TO 1983, THERE WERE VERY FEW PROSECUTIONS INVOLVING THE USE OF EXPLOSIVES FOR FISHING PURPOSE. THE NUMBER OF PROSECUTIONS HAS HOWEVER INCREASED IN RECENT YEARS BETWEEN 1983 AND 1986, A TOTAL OF 18 PROSECUTIONS WERE INSTITUTED.
TO TO
"IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THE MAXIMUM FINES, WHICH WERE SET IN 1962, NO LONGER SERVE AS AN EFFECTIVE DETERRENT. IT IS NECESSARY INCREASE THE MAXIMUM PENALTIES TO A REALISTIC LEVEL, HAVING REGARD OTHER COMPARABLE OFFENCES AND PENALTIES."
MR CHEUNG SAID THE SCHEDULE OF PROHIBITED TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTAINED IN THE EXISTING ORDINANCE WOULD ALSO BE AMENDED ΤΟ REPLACE THE REFERENCE TO "YU TANG" TO "ANY SUBSTANCE CONTAINING ANY PROPORTION OF ROTENONE" AND TO INCLUDE THREE OTHER TOXIC SUBSTANCES, NAMELY CYANIDE, PHENTHOATE AND PERMETHRIN.
THE OTHER TYPE OF TOXIC SUBSTANCE ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE EXISTING schedule IS "CHA TSAI PENG”.
CYANIDE IS INCLUDED AS PART 1A OF THE POISONS LIST OF THE PHARMACY AND POISONS ORDINANCE. PHENTHOATE AND PERMETHRIN ARE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS IN PESTICIDES KNOWN TO BE USED BY SOME PEOPLE TO CATCH FISH AND THESE ARE REGISTERED UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES ORDINANCE.
"AS THESE ARE HARMFUL TO FISH, IT IS NECESSARY TO ADD THEM ΤΟ THE SCHEDULE IN ORDER TO PROHIBIT THEIR USE IN FISHING, HE SAID.
H
MR CHEUNG ADDED THAT THE MAJOR FISHERMEN ORGANISATIONS HAD BEEN CONSULTED AND THEY SUPPORTED THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS IN THAT GOVERNMENT IS TAKING ACTION TO SAFEGUARD TERRITORIAL FISHERIES RESOURCES AND PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH.
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