Image copyright: GETTY IMAGES The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is at risk from over-exploitation
University of Hong Kong scientists say their research, published in the journal Science Advances, raises urgent concerns about the enforcement of international Cites trade regulations.
Lead researcher Dr David Baker said Cites must be supported by strong enforcement efforts of illegal smuggling. “Today there is a greater demand for transparency in labelling food products so that consumers can make informed decisions regarding food safety and wildlife conservation – this is especially true for fisheries. In the case of Hong Kong, even environmentally conscious consumers are being duped into consuming an endangered species.”
‘Devastating impact’
Commenting on the study, Dr Jones said “remarkably”, there is currently no global legal agreement on wildlife crime, and the degree to which countries prioritise and criminalise the illegal exploitation of wildlife “varies enormously”.
“We are calling for the development of an international agreement under the United Nations’ Convention on Transnational Organised Crime, in order to ensure all countries recognise the scale and serious nature of wildlife crime and the devastating impact it is having on so many species, and prioritise it through their law enforcement, prosecutorial and judicial mechanisms,” he said.
Source: BBC
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