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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1987
THE EXISTING MARINE FISH (MARKETING)
ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT ALL MARINE FISH SHOULD BE LANDED AT A MARKET OF THE FISH MARKET ORGANIZATION (FMO) OR AT OTHER SPECIFIED PLACES AND THAT NO MARINE FISH MAY BE BOUGHT OR SOLD WHOLESALE OTHER THAN AT A MARKET.
THE MAXIMUM PENALTY OF THE OFFENCE, UPON CONVICTION, IS $1,000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS.
OF
TRADE DR LEE SAID: "IN RECENT YEARS, THE ILLEGAL WHOLESALE
SEPTEMBER MARINE FISH OUTSIDE THE FMO MARKETS HAS INCREASED. BETWEEN 1985 AND NOVEMBER 1987, THERE HAVE BEEN 238
PROSECUTIONS, WITH AN AVERAGE FINE OF $440 EACH CASE.
SUCCESSFUL
**THE LOW FINES ARE INSUFFICIENT TO ACT AS A DETERRENT TO THE ILLEGAL MARKETING ACTIVITIES. AS THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT SOME OFFENCES WERE RELATED TO ORGANISED TRIAD ACTIVITIES, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE LEVEL OF $1,000 SHOULD BE INCREASED TO $10,000 WITH SENTENCE REMAINING UNCHANGED.'
ACCORDINGLY, THE
IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE EXISTING THE IMPRISONMENT
MAXIMUM FINE IN RESPECT OF RESISTING OR SEARCH, SKIZURE, DETENTION OR ARREST WOULD BE INCREASED FROM $500 TO $5,000.
OBSTRUCTING ANY
DECRIMINALISE THE BILL ALSO SEEKS TO
THE ACT OF PURCHASING OF 'SELL' то
FISH AT AN ILLEGAL MARKET AND TO EXPAND THE DEFINITION INCLUDE 'OFFER OR EXPOSE FOR SALE, OR POSSESS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SALE' SO AS TO ENABLE MORE EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT WORK TO BE TAKEN.
THE DR LEE SAID THAT ACCORDING TO EXISTING LAW,
MARKETING OF MARINE FISH COULD ONLY LEGALLY BE DONE THROUGH THE FMO BUT LANDING OF MARINE FISH COULD BE DONE REASONABLY FREELY EXCEPT IN THE URBAN AREAS.
"IN
THIS LOOPHOLE PRACTICE,
HAS
AND IN VARIOUS
ENCOURAGED LANDING IMMEDIATE MARKETING, OFTEN THOUGHT TO BE TRIAD-ORGANISED, LOCATIONS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND ON HONG KONG ISLAND.
"TO OVERCOME THIS, WE PROPOSE THAT THE PROVISION REGULATING THE LANDING OF MARINE FISH SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED BY AMENDING THE
MARINE
BE EXISTING REGULATIONS TO THE EFFECT THAT
FISH MAY
LANDED FROM A VESSEL, WITHOUT A PERMIT, ONLY AT A FMO MARKET," HE SAID.
SAID, IT WAS ALSO FOR SIMILAR REASONS, DR LEE
PROPOSED ΤΟ PROVIDE CONTROL OVER THE TRANSPORTATION OF MARINE FISH BY SEA AND TO BY PROHIBITING STREAMLINE CONTROL OVER THE TRANSPORT OF FISH ON LAND TRANSPORTATION OF
QUANTITIES GREATER THAN 60 KILOGRAMS, EXCEPT WITH A PERMIT.
FISH IN
SOME WAYS MARINE
FISH.
FISH
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, WHEN INTRODUCED, SHOULD GO TOWARDS THE REDUCTION OF ILLEGAL WHOLESALE MARKETING OF BY DETERRING EXPLOITATION, IT SHOULD BE OF BENEFIT TO FISHERMEN, DEALERS AND CONSUMERS ALIKE, HE ADDED.
FISHERMEN'S
ASSOCIATIONS
MAJOR FISH MERCHANTS AND CONSULTED. THEY GENERALLY SUPPORT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
HAVE
BEEN
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