Acting Secretary for the Environment Dr Kitty Poon has reiterated the Government's commitment to the protection of endangered species and implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora.

Dr Poon told lawmakers today, by enforcing the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals & Plants Ordinance, the trade in endangered species listed in the convention appendices is strictly controlled.

The convention's Conference of the Parties will consider in March the listing of other shark species, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature-listed threatened shark species, including the scalloped hammerhead.

"The Government will closely follow the international control as required by [the convention] on the trade in endangered species. Species listed in [the convention] appendices at the Conference of the Parties will be put under the control of the ordinance accordingly," Dr Poon said.

In the first 11 months of 2009 there were 69 successful prosecutions related to illegal import of endangered species. The figures were 73 and 61 for 2007 and 2008.

Illegal import of endangered species warrants two years' jail and a $5 million fine.