Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs announced in a statement yesterday that its officers seized 516 live fish of an invasive species at Gongbei Port (checkpoint) in June.
The statement identified the 516 live fish as Otocinclus species, and the smuggler involved was fined 100,000 yuan (120,346 patacas).
The statement noted that this marks the largest administrative penalty case handled by customs across the Chinese mainland – in terms of the number of implicated species from the Catalogue of Key Controlled Alien Species at Ports since the directory took effect on May 1 this year.
At around 4:30 p.m. on June 25, a woman surnamed Wu entered the Chinese mainland via the “Green Channel” at the passenger inspection hall of Gongbei Port (immigration and customs checkpoint). Customs officers intercepted her after noticing suspicious behaviour. Upon inspection, 516 live fish were discovered in her backpack, the statement said.
Identification by the Gongbei Customs confirmed the fish to be of the Otocinclus species, belonging to the family Loricariidae, which are listed in the Catalogue of Key Controlled Alien Species at Ports.
According to the statement, native to freshwater basins in South America, species of the family Loricariidae have gradually spread to tropical and subtropical regions worldwide due to their strong environmental adaptability and reproductive capacity. Lacking natural predators in their introduced range, some species prey heavily on the eggs and fry of native fish, squeezing their living space and leading to the decline of native fish populations, thereby causing irreversible ecological damage.
Furthermore, wild Loricariidae often carry pathogens such as aquatic viruses, parasites, and bacteria, posing multiple threats to fishery production and aquatic ecological safety, the statement added.
Gongbei Customs reminded the public that, in accordance with relevant laws, unauthorised introduction of invasive species is strictly prohibited, and carrying live animals (excluding dogs and cats) across the border is banned. Violators will be held legally accountable by customs.
This screenshot taken from a video released by Zhuhai’s Gongbei Customs yesterday shows Otocinclus fish, an invasive species.
