TNAG-0634-FCO40-782-Violation-of-legislation-for-protection-of-endangered-specie-1977 — Page 35

CONFIDENTIAL

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港政府漁農處

九龍廣東道三九三號 廣東道政府合署十三樓

本處檔號 OUR REF.:

CR 18/1280

本函檔號 YOUR REF.:

HKK 151/1

Tel. No.: 3-688111

電報掛號

Address: AGFISH HONG KONG

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REGISTRY NO. $1

6 MAY 1977

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All replies must be addressed to Director of

Agriculture and Fisheries

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AGRICULTURE & FISHERIES

DEPARTMENT

Canton Road Government Offices 393 Canton Road

Ayton

MN Miyo.

12th floor

Kowloon, Hong Kong

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29th April 1977

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Min ONN FEA

Mix O'Hara STA

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Thank you for your letter of 15th March which was more than helpful. As you will fully appreciate, in many ways we are in a "no win" position on the issues involved as we are dealing with a very emotive subject and one in which subjective thinking tends to outweigh objective appraisal. Despite criticism, however, all of us here continue to strive towards gradual but effective progress in bringing particularly the endangered species issues under more effective control. There is no need for me to outline the problems we face to someone in your position, they are all too obvious.

تاده اند که است

Thank you for your comment on the international ramifications of ISPA. There are moments when one feels that perhaps the international conservationists are only bettered by the international terrorist organisations in their ability to tap a wide range of sources of support. I agree that the array is very formidable; and certainly there can never be occasion for complacency, at the best I fear all we can hope for is a form of armed neutrality.

If I may I would like here to attempt to separate the issues of endangered species and cruelty. I do this knowing full well that this is contrary to the practice of organisations such as ISPA who include in their tactical attack approaches a deliberate confusion of issues on the basis that ends justify means. By so doing, however, I think that they tend to negate some of their more constructive ideas and thus contribute to bringing themselves into a certain degree of disrepute. If only they could be persuaded to take a more dispassionate and objective view of the issues involved, I am sure that we would all be able to advance further and faster.

Endangered Species

My remark on the legitimate nature of the bulk of live shipments coming into Hong Kong from China is based primarily on our general knowledge of the trade, observations by staff concerned with livestock imports from China, and on information supplied by dealers who handle this trade in Hong Kong.

Precise official statistics are not available; this is because the Preventive Service do not systematically check China consignments entering Hong Kong preferring to use their staff resources elsewhere. Periodic spot-checks are of course carried out

A.F. 175

CONFIDENTIAL

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