TNAG-1953-FCO40-2782-Trade-of-rare-and-endangered-species-in-Hong-Kong-1989 — Page 4

The revision of the Schedules

the Schedules will require certain consequential additional exemptions to be made to the exemption order, mainly to permit the import of manufactured personal items including worked ivory to continue. Should the Governor in Council approve the amendments to the Schedules it is proposed to invite the Governor to make a fresh exemption order.

Financial and Staffing Implications

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Revision of the Schedules will place more species and products under control and additional resources may be required for enforcement in due course. In particular, the tightened control of ivory on the basis of current levels of imports is estimated to require over 1,200 worked ivory shipments to be inspected per year. Director of Agriculture & Fisheries will, therefore, redeploy his resources in the first instance and he will seek the necessary additional resources in the context of the 1989/90 estimates. Initial estimates suggest that up to fourteen additional staff, mostly Field Officers, required. Any application for additional processed in the usual manner.

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resources

may be will be

We estimate the additional revenue generated from the proposed fee increases will be about $110,000 per annum.

Public Consultation

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Agriculture and Fisheries Department has consulted various departments and related organisations, including the statutory Endangered Species Advisory Committee (ESAC). ESAC includes representation by the ivory trade. There has been general support for the proposed amendments

amendments though Kong Ivory Manufacturing Workers

Workers General Union has its concern at the proposed controls on the import ivory. It claims that proposed restriction on the 'worked ivory' would reduce imports by 40% and craftsmen out of work. It has been pointed out to the Union that failure to introduce the restrictions

the Hong expressed of worked import of put ivory

(a) would be in breach of Hong Kong's

international obligations; and

(b)

would most likely lead to a total ban on ivory exports to the USA (our largest export market) which would in turn lead to greater job losses.

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