Slaughtered endangered species seized

Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon

Some P10 million-worth of slaughtered and sun-dried marine products declared as endangered species by the government, including manta rays and stingrays, were seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

In a press briefing Thursday, Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said the 2,300 kilos of dried sea animals, most of which were already cut into pieces, arrived at the Manila North Harbor on board MV Princess of the South last August.

He said the illegal marine animals shipment, contained in a 10-footer container van, was consigned to Golden East Marine Export Inc. of Las Piñas and may have been intended for export.

“There seems to be an attempt to smuggle out of the country highly valuable marine products which are considered endangered species by the government, particularly the manta rays.” Biazon said.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the manta rays as “vulnerable” in Southeast Asia and “near threatened” globally. On the other hand, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (www.cites.org) identifies them as a group associated with significant unregulated, unsustainable fishing pressures and severe population depletion.

In other countries, manta rays are becoming increasingly valuable for their “gill rakers,” which are exported to Asia for use in Chinese traditional medicine.

In the Philippines, manta rays (Manta birostris) are considered protected species under Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO)  No. 193. However, the cultural practice of eating manta ray meat apparently persists in some areas.

Other  species

Apart from the manta rays, other species in the shipment identified were two species of stingray, the honeycomb stingray (Himantura wamak) and pink whipray (Himantura fai); a spinetail mobula (Mobula japonica); and two species of sharks, the silky shark (Cacharhinus falciformis) and pelagic thresher shark (Alopias pelagicus).

Biazon said that in the export market, current prices of dried gills and meat of manta ray and stingray per kilogram could fetch up to $500. Dried parts of other stingrays can cost $8 per kilogram.

“These are highly sought products, especially in the Chinese market, because it is said to be used as exotic food condiments or ingredients and for Chinese traditional medicine for the cure of chicken pox, infertility and cancer,” according to the BOC.

Biazon said BOC officials seized the shipment after it was found to have been shipped from Cebu without the required transport clearance from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in violation of FAO 193 and 233, and Republic Act No. 8550 (the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998) and RA 9147 (Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act).

The violation carries a penalty of up to 12 to 20 years imprisonment and/or fine of P120,000 and forfeiture of the catch and cancellation of fishing permits.

Two weeks after the arrival of the shipment from Cebu, a joint BFAR and BOC team conducted an inspection of the container van.

Difficulty in verification

The team said verification became difficult as the marine animals were already cut into pieces. Samples of the species were obtained from submission to the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute for a definitive identification.

Dr. Mudjekeewis Santos of BFAR said they had to conduct DNA bar coding test on the animals to identify their kind of species.

According to Biazon, the sea animals shall be disposed either by burying or rendering.

He said that while the BOC has tightened its watch of incoming cargo movements to thwart smuggling, the bureau is also on the lookout for exporters who totally disregard the laws of the land protecting the country’s endangered species for huge and quick profits.

“We shall apply the maximum penalties provided by law to all those involved in this smuggling attempt,” he added. “These poaching should be stopped and poachers must be jailed. These people are responsible for depleting the country’s already dwindling natural resources.”