the state of wildlife trade in
Macau

The study, “The State of Wildlife Trade in Macau,” is the first-ever comprehensive assessment of wildlife trade in Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR), a former Portuguese colony in southeast China.

Among the findings are the near doubling of imports of CITES-listed species, from approximately 9,600 items per year in 2005–2010 to around 18,200 items per year in 2011–2016. The increase is mostly attributable to the rise in imports of reptiles, plants and timber products, largely destined for use in fashion apparel (leather), household ornaments and furniture.

The rising number of CITES-listed species largely destined for the luxury product market reflects Macau residents’ rising purchasing power and highlights the need for the authorities to encourage responsible purchasing and consumption

Wilson Lau, TRAFFIC Programme Officer and co-author of the report.

“Such imports also place an increasing burden on enforcement agencies in Macau, who need adequate training in species identification and access to the latest tools and techniques to help them enforce the Convention’s regulations.”

Despite its small size, Macau is a significant importer of wild-sourced products, importing an average USD97 million worth of wildlife each year with their overall quantities fairly static but their value soaring from around USD44 million in 2005 to USD160 million by 2016.

By far away the largest group of commodities is aquatic food products, comprising 86% of total wildlife trade value and dominated by live fish—carps, groupers, eels and tilapia. Almost all are destined for local consumption in the territory whose population is close to 600,000.

The report looks in detail at particular commodities of conservation concern—shark fin and ivory—as well as an analysis of illegal trade reported in Macau over the period.

Shark Fin Trade

Macau is the third-largest destination market for shark fins by value¹, with an average of 100 tonnes of shark fins entering Macau annually. However, the researchers found no CITES trade records for sharks imported into Macau between 2010 and 2016, despite encountering two instances of CITES-listed sharks on menus.

“Any seafood restaurant in Macau is likely to have a large variety of shark fin dishes on the menu, but the trade in shark products currently lacks adequate oversight and traceability, leading to unsustainable practices that are decimating shark populations worldwide,” said Lau.

Ivory

The study found Macau’s legal ivory market decreasing, with legislative changes reducing known retailers from 22 shops in 2015 to only six shops in 2017. However, the report warns that changes in regional policies could reverse this trend.

“Macau’s historic role as a hub for ivory trade should not be discounted. With recent ivory market closures in mainland China and an upcoming closure in Hong Kong SAR in 2021, Macau will soon become an enclave for legal ivory trade in China, a legal inconsistency that could make the territory a target for illegal ivory flows and laundering,” said Lau.

Wildlife Seizures

Elephant ivory seizures were the second commonest category among wildlife seizures during the period, indicating Macau is not currently a significant hub for illegal ivory trade. According to the latest assessment, between 2013 and 2017 there were 267 wildlife seizures in Macau with plant species, especially orchids, dominating the list.

“Although there were relatively few instances of wildlife crime detected, authorities must remain vigilant—the recent opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) in October 2018 means trade flows and border-crossings have increased substantially, and are projected to continue rising, amplifying Macau’s need to monitor and enforce cross-border trade in wildlife,” said Lau.

Better trade management

The report’s authors make a number of recommendations for Macau to improve management of wildlife trade and minimise threats to endangered wildlife including:

• Update current laws to deter illegal wildlife trade. Penalties in Macau are not aligned with laws in mainland China and Hong Kong SAR, which both have stricter penalties. This inconsistency could encourage criminals to shift trafficking networks into Macau.
• Improve regulation of markets, especially creating better traceability systems for shark fins. Measures to ensure legality and compliance with CITES regulations are needed.
• Enhance enforcement and capacity to identify CITES-listed species. Species identification training, forensic tools, and collaborations between law enforcement and NGOs/academia are all critical tools for preventing wildlife trafficking. 
• Support responsible purchasing and consumption through consumer-facing initiatives. Awareness around illegality, health and safety, and conservation concerns for products such as seafood could help drive market changes.