Lawmakers Join Calls To Tighten Shark Trade Rules

Lawmakers from pro- and anti-establishment parties have backed a call by an activists' group to make it mandatory for traders to declare products of all species of shark that come in and out of Hong Kong.

Local laws currently require traders to declare only 12 specific shark species which are listed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species – an international treaty known as Cites – to prevent the trade of endangered animals.

But the Hong Kong Shark Foundation said the SAR government needs to step up its efforts to regulate more shark species as the city is now known as the world's largest shark fin trade centre, accounting for about half of all global trade.

A report released by the foundation on Thursday said local authorities should require importers and exporters to declare any shark product that goes through Hong Kong and whether it was caught ethically.

It added that the export of sharks not listed by Cites, such as those facing a significant survival threat, should also be restricted.

The foundation's executive director, Apple Chow, told RTHK's Candice Wong that she's optimistic the administration will take heed of their call, after receiving support from lawmakers across the political spectrum including Democratic Party lawmaker Ted Hui and the DAB's Elizabeth Quat.

Hui said Hong Kong should be ashamed of the size of the shark fin trade here. The pro-democracy lawmaker, who said he stopped eating shark fin 10 years ago, agreed that the government needs wider and comprehensive regulation.

Quat, meanwhile, said traders should declare which species they are dealing in – so as to make consumers better informed about what exactly they are buying.

The pro-government legislator, who said she's been a vegetarian for many years, called on the authorities to implement the mandatory declaration requirement, to enable the public to monitor how Hong Kong is faring on shark conservation.