XN000022-1989-06-01 — Page 26

THURSDAY, JUNE 1. 1989

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AFD EXTENDS CONTROL ON IVORY TRADE

THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT THIS (THURSDAY) EVENING RESPONDED TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT THIS AFTERNOON BY THE WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE (WWF HK), IN WHICH IT EXPRESSED ITS SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED BAN ON IVORY TRADE IN AN ATTEMPT TO SAVE THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT FROM EXTINCTION.

THE WWF HK URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO REGISTER AND MARK ALL STOCKS OF RAW IVORY AND IVORY CUT PIECES WHICH EXCEED 20 CENTIMETRES IN LENGTH AND ONE KILOGRAM IN WEIGHT.

ALL

IT ALSO CALLED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMPUTER DATA BASE OF REGISTERED STOCKS AND A GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED WAREHOUSE FOR THE SAFE-KEEPING OF THE REGISTERED STOCKS.

THE DEPARTMENT'S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (CONSERVATION AND COUNTRY PARKS), MR K.C. IU, SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT FULLY SHARED THE CONCERN THAT HAD BEEN EXPRESSED ABOUT THE DECLINE IN THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT POPULATION.

"HONG KONG HAS ALWAYS COMPLIED FULLY WITH ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES), WITH REGARD TO ENDANGERED SPECIES. THIS INCLUDES STRICT CONTROL ON IVORY.

"IN ORDER TO TAKE OUR STRICT CONTROL ONE STEP FURTHER. THE DEPARTMENT HAS DECIDED TO EXTEND THE REGISTRATION OF EXISTING IVORY STOCKS TO COVER RAW IVORY ACQUIRED BEFORE 1986. THE REGISTRATION WILL INCLUDE INDIVIDUAL MARKING IN ACCORDANCE WITH CITES PROCEDURES, HE SAID.

ALL IVORY STOCKS ACQUIRED AFTER 1986 HAD ALREADY BEEN REGISTERED AND MARKED.

MR IU POINTED OUT THAT THE DEPARTMENT WOULD ALSO BE LOOKING INTO THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A COMPUTER DATA BASE AS SUGGESTED BY WWF HK.

HE SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAD CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THE IDEA OF A GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED WAREHOUSE FOR KEEPING IVORY STOCKS.

"IT IS NOT CONSIDERED FEASIBLE BECAUSE OF PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES AND THE FACT THAT EXISTING STOCKS ARE PRIVATE LEGALLY OBTAINED AND LEGALLY HELD, MR IU ADDED.

P

PROPERTY.

OF

AND THE DECIDES

IN VIEW OF THE PROPOSED BAN ON NEW IVORY, THE AGRICULTURE FISHERIES DEPARTMENT HAS PUT IN HAND AN URGENT STUDY IMPLICATIONS FOR HONG KONG IF THE CITES CONFERENCE IN OCTOBER TO ENDORSE STRICTER CONTROLS ON THE IVORY TRADE.

"WE HAVE