#INTHEAIREVERYWHERE
|
#INTHEAIREVERYWHERE |
|
| Vol. 13 No.104 | Wednesday
December 31, 2014 |
 |
|
| One From The
Heart For The Manta Rays
|
 Air cargo and forwarder executives could unwittingly be participating in the illegal transport of manta ray products from Indonesia. The hunting and trade of manta ray products was banned in Indonesia in February 2014, while the trafficking of manta rays without an export or re-export certificate issued by the ‘Management Authority of the State of export or re-export’ is also now banned under Appendix II of the UN’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.  However,
despite the ban, last month Indonesian Quarantine officials at Juanda Airport
in Surabaya, Indonesia’s second city and the major trading center
for marine products, confiscated the largest shipment to date—226kgs
of manta gills. The gills were booked for export to Hong Kong with some
media reports suggesting Air Asia was the airline booked to carry the cargo.Air Asia banned the carriage of shark fins in the underbellies of its vessels earlier this year, but when contacted by email and telephone by FlyingTypers the company’s cargo department refused to comment on its manta ray trade policy. Indonesian flag carrier Garuda also refused to comment when its representatives were asked if the carrier’s cargo team were aware the trade in manta was illegal, and if it had implemented any policies to ensure it was not uplifted on its domestic or international services. A spokesperson for IATA said that in countries such as Indonesia, where there is a specific ruling or law that prohibits the exportation, or importation, of a particular item, the government authority with oversight on that ruling or law can pursue action not only against the shipper, but also the consignee, forwarder, and/or airline. Under Indonesian law, trafficking manta rays or their parts and by-products is punishable with a penalty of up to six years imprisonment and a maximum fine of USD $125,000. Manta rays are increasingly targeted for their gill plates, the pre-branchial appendages that filter the plankton on which they feed. These gill plates are in demand in Chinese markets for use in health tonics, despite the ingredient not being recognized as a part of traditional Chinese medicine and manta products often containing dangerous levels of toxins. Manta products are usually air freighted into Hong Kong under air waybills, which fail to identify the illegal nature of the cargo and instead term the product ‘dried seafood,’ according to Paul Hilton, a photojournalist who has been working closely with Indonesian authorities to expose those involved in the trade. Cathay Pacific Services Ltd. is the handling agent for Air Asia’s cargo operations in Hong Kong, but a Cathay Pacific spokesman said the deal did not cover Air Asia’s Indonesian operations. “We are well aware that manta rays, along with five species of sharks, have been included in Appendix II under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in September 2014,” he said. “According to the latest records of Cathay Pacific Cargo, it has not carried any goods that are declared to be manta ray this year. According to the records of Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal, it has not handled any declared manta rays since its operation began in 2013.” HKIA’s two other leading terminal operators—HACTL and AAT—refused to comment when asked if they were currently handling manta products. Alex Hofford, Wildlife Campaigner, WildAid, commended the Indonesian Government for stepping up their enforcement actions by clamping down on illicit manta ray poaching, and Air Asia for banning shark fin from their flights earlier this year. But, he added, “I think it’s a shame the airline’s shark fin ban does not currently also extend to manta rays.” He said that with 26 airlines around the world already committed to being shark-free, they should also “now look to tighten their cargo policies—if only to avoid embarrassment—by also banning manta rays from their cargo holds.” He added: “The hope is now that all Indonesian air carriers, including Air Asia, Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air, will quickly resolve to take the issue as seriously as the Indonesian government. “We call on those three airlines in Indonesia to close existing loopholes in their cargo policies that allow for an international trade in manta ray body parts to China and Hong Kong for use in bogus traditional Chinese medicine. “Manta rays are two recently protected species on the CITES endangered list, and it is an embarrassment to Hong Kong that an illegal trade in these iconic species is allowed to flourish on the streets of this city. “We solemnly request that all airlines cut the supply chain of manta rays to China and Hong Kong in order to protect and preserve the marine ecology of the region.” SkyKing |
If
You Missed Any Of The Previous 3 Issues Of FlyingTypers |
