In Hong Kong CITES is given legislative backing through the Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance (Chapter 187). This Ordinance provides for the control of the import, export and possession of endangered species of animals and plants and their derivatives. The Authority is the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, who is also the CITES Management Authority for Hong Kong. The effect of our legislation is that only ivory from a CITES-approved source may be imported, and then only with a licence issued by the Authority.
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To avoid our strict control, a number of ivory traders have moved their operations from Hong Kong to bases where the CITES requirement s are not enforced, for example to Dubai. Their activities abroad, however have been portrayed as though they have taken place in Hong Kong and as such have tarnished Hong Kong's image.
International Concern
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In the past few months, there has been mount ing concern, both locally or overseas, over the continued decline of the African elephant due to illegal poaching. Conservationists and certain party countries to CITES (including Kenya and Tanzania which
which have elephant poaching problems) have campaigned for all trade in ivory to be banned. This campaign, which has gained the support of major consumer countries of carved ivory, aims at the African elephant being listed by the parties to CITES in Appendix I rather than Appendix II as at present. This issue is to be discussed at the forthcoming CITES Conference to be held in Switzerland in October. In the meantime, the USA, Japan and the EC have already imposed moratoria on ivory imports.
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As Hong Kong's trade in ivory product s export-oriented, the moratoria imposed by our major trading partners is causing considerable concern among our traders and
The listing of African ivory in
from African ivory in Appendix I October may mean the end of
the end of the legitimate industry in Hong Kong and could make
make existing stocks of ivory in Hong Kong, which have been legally imported, commercially worthless.
carvers.
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Hong Kong is the world's largest ivory trade centre. In 1988, Hong Kong's trade in raw and carved ivory amounted to $348 million and $324 million respectively. There are, present about 500 tonnes of raw and 170 tonnes of carved or partially carved ivory in Hong Kong with an estimated value of $700 million and $500 million respectively. These stocks have been legally acquired under CITES requirements. In the normal course of events, it would take 5-10 years to dispose of them. Some 3,000 people are directly engaged in the trading and carving of ivory.
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