Gongbei Customs said in a statement yesterday that its officers have intercepted a dual-plate vehicle carrying 280 live fish, including more than 100 listed as priority-controlled invasive species, at the Zhuhai checkpoint of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB).
According to the statement, the vehicle, bearing Guangdong-Hong Kong dual licence plates, was stopped while entering the Chinese mainland via the HZMB Zhuhai checkpoint. The seizure took place at around 3:00 p.m. on June 25, when customs officers detected suspicious images during X-ray screening of the vehicle, the statement said.
A subsequent inspection uncovered six water-filled plastic bags concealed in the boot, containing a total of 280 live fish, the statement noted, adding that the identification completed last Tuesday by a forensic identification centre in Guangdong confirmed that the fish belonged to four species: Lamontichthys filamentosus, Hemiodontichthys acipenserinus, Farlowella rostrata and Exodon paradoxus, all of which are members of the Loricariidae family*.
Among the seized fish, 107 specimens from three Loricariidae species are listed in the Chinese mainland’s Catalogue of Alien Species under Key Port Control, the statement noted, adding that this was the first interception of priority-controlled invasive species at Zhuhai’s HZMB Customs checkpoint since the catalogue was introduced in May this year.
Gongbei Customs reminded the public that introducing alien species into the Chinese mainland without authorisation is prohibited and that carrying live animals or plants across the border is strictly forbidden, adding that violators will face legal action in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
* Loricariidae is the largest family of catfish, with over 90 genera and just over 680 species. Loricariids originate from freshwater habitats of Costa Rica, Panama, and tropical and subtropical South America. These fish are noted for the bony plates covering their bodies and their suckermouths. - Gemini
This undated handout photo provided by Gongbei Customs yesterday shows six water-filled plastic bags containing 280 live fish seized by customs officials at the Zhuhai Port (checkpoint) of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) on June 25.
