Source : Electric New Paper, Singapore, 06 Feb '05
By : Teh Jen Lee
   

A total of 57 arowanas and other fish were confiscated last year, more than the total haul over the previous three years.

There were two fish seized in 2001, 24 the next year and four in 2003.

Some of the cases last year were quite blatant.

Such as the man who tried to smuggle in an arowana from Batam using a plastic bag.

He had already cleared the passport checks and was going through the green lane to have his belongings X-rayed.

But that's when scanners at the Singapore Cruise Centre turned up something fishy in one of his plastic bags.

The image of a live fish, which he had failed to declare, turned out to be an arowana.

The species which is also known as dragon fish, probably for its large scales and forked tongue, is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites).

A Cites permit from AVA is required to import arowanas.

The man was fined $250 and the fish forfeited.

Another offender was driving from Johor Baru to Singapore when he was stopped at Woodlands Checkpoint.

$100 FINE

He had some fish in plastic bags sitting on the floor mat of the front passenger's seat.

But the Customs officer spotted an illegal arowana among them, which eventually landed the owner with a $100 fine.

Those who get caught are not just smugglers who bring in different sizes of arowanas.

Traders were also caught in possession of untagged arowanas and araipaimas, or African arowanas, in farms and aquarium shops, said Ms Lye Fong Keng, head of AVA's wildlife regulatory branch.

For an arowana to be 'legal' in Singapore, it must contain a microchip tag under its skin which has a serial number.

They can either be imported or bred here.

Out of about 60 ornamental fish farms here, only five are Cites-registered and licensed by the AVA to breed arowanas.

When an arowana is sold in a pet shop, the fish's tag number must be scanned in front of the buyer. While most of the fish confiscated in 2004 were arowanas, AVA also took sturgeon fish, one blue-ringed octopus and some jellyfish from homes, aquarium shops and fish farms.

Why has there been an increase in the number of fish cases?

In an e-mail reply to The New Paper, Ms Lye said: 'It could be a growing interest in keeping rarer species of fish such as arowanas.

'It may also be due to an increased conservation awareness among the public and a greater willingness to report contravention of the laws.'

But the good news is that the total number of animals confiscated has been decreasing since 2002. (See other report.)

To enforce Cites legislation, AVA conducts spot checks and inspections on farms or shops.

TIP-OFFS FROM PUBLIC

They also rely on public tip-offs.

The confiscated fish may be donated to the Underwater World or kept for research purposes, said Ms Lye.

Illegal import or possession of Cites fish is an offence under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act which could land a person with a maximum fine of $5,000 and/or one year in jail.