$10,000 fine for seahorse powder importation
Successful multi-agency cooperation has seen a Christchurch firm fined $10,000 for importing dried seahorse powder.
The powder - exported from Australia to New Zealand last year in a 25kg drum – originated in China.
The investigation was a joint effort by Australian Customs and New Zealand's Wildlife Enforcement Group (WEG), which is made up of the Department of Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and New Zealand Customs Service staff.
Christchurch firm, RMF Neutraceuticals, recently pleaded guilty to the charge under the Trade in Endangered Species Act 1989 for importing powder made from seahorses – a threatened group of species – without getting the necessary permit or certificate. The powder was intercepted by MAF staff after it was found to be falsely declared as being a plant extract.
There are at least 1.9 million seahorses in captivity and 27.2 tonnes of dried seahorses are produced annually. In addition it is estimated that 20 tonnes of seahorse are wild harvested each year, and wild populations are in serious decline.1 (There are currently around 35 recognised seahorse species. Seahorses are part of the family syngnathidae, which means "fused jaw". All seahorses belong to the genus Hippocampus.)2
WEG investigator Colin Hitchcock says joint cooperation among agencies is key to disrupting the trade in endangered species.
"Global illegal trade in wildlife is sitting at about US$7 billion; it's big business. International cooperation and the ability to investigate and share information, as with the seahorse case, is essential to cracking down on trafficking," he says.
The imported seahorse powder made up half the contents of the 25kg drum; the other half contained pipefish.
"A very large number of seahorses would have been used to create the powder," Colin says. "That's a blow to species that are threatened worldwide."
This joint operation was recognised last year as part of a Telstra Trans-Tasman Business Award to Australian Customs and the New Zealand Customs Service, which included recognition of their joint work into breaches of customs and trade in endangered species legislation.
The illegal trade in wildlife is considered to be the third largest illicit market in the world after arms and drugs.
Established in 1993, WEG's role is to investigate the organised illegal trade in wildlife (fauna and flora). See Biosecurity 74:20 for a feature article on the work of WEG.
- Wildlife Enforcement Group, phone 09 359 6607, weg@iconz.co.nz
- 1 Source: The Endangered Species Import and Export Management Office of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, February 2004.
- 2 Source: www.seahorse.org
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Page last updated: 30 April 2008