XN000022-1994-09-12 — Page 5

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1994

HK STRICTLY CONTROLS BEAR PARTS TRADE

* * * *

HONG KONG IS FULLY COMMITTED то THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES) AND HAS ADOPTED MUCH STRICTER MEASURES TO CONTROL TRADE IN BEAR PARTS THAN ARE REQUIRED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION.

A SENIOR CONSERVATION OFFICER OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT (AFD), MR RICHARD CHAN PING-KWONG, MADE THIS POINT TO A CONGREGATION OF GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES AND CONSERVATIONISTS AT INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM TODAY (MONDAY).

AN

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE TRADE OF BEAR PARTS FOR MEDICINAL USE HELD IN SEATTLE, USA, FROM SEPTEMBER 9 TO 11.

MR CHAN SAID IN AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THE USE OF BEAR PART'S FOR MEDICINAL USE, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IMPOSED STRICT DOMESTIC MEASURES OVER POSSESSION OF BEAR PARTS, INCLUDING GALL BLADDER AND BILE.

"THEY ARE STRICTER THAN THE REQUIREMENT OF CITES WHICH ONLY REQUESTS MEMBER COUNTRIES TO IMPOSE CONTROL OVER THE IMPORT AND EXPORT OF ENDANGERED SPECIES, HE SAID.

IN EXERCISING CONTROL OVER POSSESSION, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REQUIRES ANY PERSON HOLDING AN OLD STOCK OF BEAR PARTS TO APPLY FOR A POSSESSION LICENCE FROM THE AFD.

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ALSO TAKES STEPS TO REGISTER THE OLD STOCK HELD BY TRADERS AND MONITOR THE MOVEMENT OF THE SPECIMENS.

"BY SO DOING, SMUGGLING INTO HONG KONG DETERRED AND PREVENTED.'

OF NEW

ITEMS CAN

BE

ין

AS BEAR GALL BLADDER AND BILE ARE NOT READILY RECOGNISABLE BY PHYSICAL INSPECTION, THE EXISTING STOCK IS SUBJECT ΤΟ CHEMICAL TEST TO CONFIRM THEIR AUTHENTICITY, MR CHAN SAID.

THE CHECKING AND TAGGING SYSTEMS DEVISED BY THE AFD ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO FOUL PLAY BY THE TRADERS.

AFTER RECEIVING AN APPLICATION FOR A POSSESSION LICENCE, AN INSPECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT WILL CHECK THE STOCK AND TAKE SAMPLES OF THE SPECIMENS OF THE DECLARED BEAR PARTS.

THIN LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHIES ARE PERFORMED ON THE SAMPLES BY AN ACCREDITED LABORATORY TO TEST THE PRESENCE OF THREE TYPES OF BILE SALTS

ACID, TAUROCHOLIC

TAUROCHENO-DEOXYCHOLIC

ACID

AND TAUROURSO-DEOXYCHOLIC ACID.

-

IF THE TEST RESULTS ARE POSITIVE, THE GALL BLADDERS WILL BE INDIVIDUALLY TAGGED,

ALSO, UNDER THE LICENCE CONDITIONS, THE LICENCE-HOLDERS ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP THE BEAR PARTS UNDER LOCK AND KEY, A REGISTER OF THE SALE TRANSACT (ONS IS ALSO REQUIRED TO BE KEPT TO FACILITATE FURTHER MONITORING BY THE AFD.

/ON THE