Press Releases

Reward scheme for endangered species protection
Thursday, July 8, 1999

The Agriculture and Fisheries Department (AFD) has set up a new monetary reward scheme to encourage the public to provide information and report offences regarding illegal trade in endangered species.

Acting Assistant Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, Lay Chik-chuen, said today (Thursday) more and more species were threatened with extinction over the years and the scope of control under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was expanding.

He said: "Enforcement in curbing illegal trade in endangered species is becoming more complicated and difficult as such activities tend to go underground with willing participants on both sides.

"To enhance enforcement against illegal trade in endangered species and to provide a more effective means in information collection, a reward scheme is necessary to encourage reporting of offences," he stressed.

A reward of up to a maximum payment of $20,000 will be paid to an informer who provides information leading to successful conviction of a prosecution.

In cases which the information provided lead only to seizures of endangered species or their derivatives, rewards of not exceeding $5,000 will be granted.

Mr Lay noted that only registered informers were eligible for rewards.

Those who want to register as informers should contact AFD's Endangered Species Protection Section (tel: 2733 2390).

"Informers' identities will be kept strictly confidential," he added.

AFD has also prepared a crime-reporting envelope and set up a 24-hour telephone hotline (tel:2733 2641) for the public to report illegal trading in endangered species.

The crime-reporting envelopes will be available at convenient spots such as public libraries, public enquiry service centres and community centres of various district offices, post offices and public housing estate offices.

The Government has been implementing the CITES through the Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance.

It is obligated for the Government to effectively control trading in endangered species in accordance with the requirement of the convention.

Trading in highly endangered species without a licence is an offence and offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $5 million and two years' imprisonment upon conviction.