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IS POSSIBLE THAT MR LI
"THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND IT OUR DOMESTIC CONCERNS MAY NOT BE OF INTEREST TO ALL DELEGATED, SAID.
T
"MOST COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES, HOWEVER, ARE CONCERNED TO STRENGTHEN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THEIR LANGUAGE POLICIES AND THERE ARE, OF COURSE, ALWAYS DIFFERENT WAYS OF ACHIEVING THE SAME RESULT."
HONG KONG, MR LI NOTED, HAD LOOKED AT A RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES BEFORE MOVING TO THE PRESENT PHASE OF AWAITING GOVERNMENT'S ON THE EDUCATION COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
DECISION
TRADING OF SNAKES AND CORALS TO COME UNDER CONTROL
(MONDAY)
PRODUCTS
THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT (AFD) TODAY ADVISED THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY TRADERS IN LIVE SNAKES, SNAKE AND CORALS, THAT THREE SPECIES OF SNAKE AND ALL STONY CORALS WILL SOON COME UNDER STRICT LICENSING CONTROL.
THE THREE SNAKE SPECIES ARE THE ORIENTAL RAT SNAKE, THE ASIATIC COBRA AND THE KING COBRA. THESE SNAKES ARE CONSUMED AS FOOD IN HONG KONG AND THEIR SKINS USED AS LEATHER.
THE STONY CORALS INCLUDE THE STAGHORN CORALS AND BRAIN CORALS WHICH ARE COMMONLY USED IN AQUARIA AND FOR DECORATIVE PURPOSES.
AN AFD SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE SNAKE SPECIES AND CORALS HAD BEEN ADDED TO APPENDIX ΙΙ OF THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) WHICH MEANS THAT IMPORT AND EXPORT OF THESE SPECIES THROUGH MEMBER COUNTRIES HAVE TO BE CONTROLLED TO PREVENT OVER EXPLOITATION.
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THERE ARE OTHER SPECIES ADDED TO APPENDIX II APART FROM SNAKES AND CORALS. AMONG THEM ARE THE CHINESE CROCODILE LIZARD AND THE SLOTH BEAR. THESE SPECIES WILL ALSO COME UNDER LICENSING CONTROL BUT THEY ARE NOT WIDELY TRADED IN THE TERRITORY.
"THE AMENDMENT, WHICH TAKES THE FORM OF THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS (PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES) ORDINANCE (REPLACEMENT OF SCHEDULES) ORDER 1990, WAS ENDORSED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL LAST WEEK AND WILL COME INTO EFFECT AS SOON AS IT IS GAZETTED," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
HE ADDED THAT IT WOULD THEN BE AN OFFENCE TO IMPORT OR EXPORT THE SCHEDULED SPECIMENS, SUCH AS SNAKES OR THEIR PARTS AND DERIVATIVES, AND CORALS OR THEIR SKELETONS, EXCEPT UNDER AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH A LICENCE ISSUED BY AFD IN ADVANCE.
"OFFENDERS ARE LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $25,000 FOR THE SIX MONTHS' JAIL SENTENCE FOR A THE MANDATORY FORFEITURE OF THE
FIRST OFFENCE AND $50,000 PLUS REPEATED OFFENCE IN ADDITION ΤΟ SPECIMENS," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
/APPLICATIONS FOR
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