The following is from the AFCD with regards to Living Seas Hong Kong’s query about protection for whale sharks in Hong Kong waters.
「勃勃海洋」曾就香港水域內鯨鯊的保育問題向漁農自然護理署提出諮詢，該署答覆如下：
“Please be advised that the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (the Ordinance) in Hong Kong gives effect to CITES which regulates the international trade in endangered species. For the better protection of endangered species, the Ordinance includes stricter domestic measures which require a Licence to Possess for the control or possession of Appendix I specimens or live Appendix II specimens of wild origin for commercial purposes. In other words, live CITES species caught in Hong Kong should not be used for commercial purposes except a Licence to Possess is obtained in advance. Please also note that we have not issued any License to Possess for whale sharks.
Fishing is controlled within marine parks under the Marine Parks Ordinance. The control measures aim to conserve marine biodiversity. The Wild Animals Protection Ordinance provides for the conservation of wild animals and animals do not include fish and marine invertebrates as defined under the ordinance.”
” 香港的《保護瀕危動植物物種條例》(該條例)，是按照《瀕危野生動植物種國際貿易公約》(CITES)的精神，對瀕危物種的國際貿易進行規管。為了更好地 保護瀕危物種，該條例增加了更嚴格的本地措施，規定管有附錄I野生物種或附錄II活生野生物種作商業用途，必須領取許可證。換言之，除非事先護得許可證， 否則在香港捕捉的受CITES保護的活生物種均不得作商業用途，而我署至今沒有發出任何管有鯨鯊的許可證。”
在海岸公園的捕魚活動受到《海岸公園條例》規管。有關法規的目的，是確保海洋生物的多樣性。但香港旨在保育野生動物及海洋生物的《野生動物保護條例》，並沒有涵蓋魚類及海洋非脊椎動物。 “
In this particular case we believe that the authorities have completely mishandled this situation. The fisherman could and should have been prosecuted even under the current inadequate legislation.
我們認為有關當局完全處理不當。因為即使在目前立法不完善的情况下，濫捕鯨鯊的漁民亦應當可以被起訴。
There are some serious gaps in the current ordinance(s):
目前的法例確實存在一些嚴重漏洞，包括：
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Whale sharks need to be fully protected, not just protected from commercial purposes. Any possession of the sharks whether alive or dead should be illegal.
鯨鯊不但應被禁止作商業用途，而且應受到全面保護。管有任何活的或已死的鯨鯊均應被視為非法行為。 -
Wild Animal Protection Ordinance explicitly excludes fish and marine invertebrates.
《野生動物保護條例》並沒有涵蓋魚類及海洋非脊椎動物。
We will continue to push the government to provide real protection for whale sharks and other marine animals.
因此，我們將繼續敦促政府為鯨鯊和其他海洋動物提供真正的保護。