Shenzhen solicits public opinion on wild meat ban

Many wild meat lovers in the country, along with those catering to their special tastes, might feel the repercussions of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus soon as legislators try to shorten their menus.

Since the country's top legislature vowed to put an end to wildlife consumption on Feb 24, many local legislators have started soliciting public opinions on what animals should be pardoned.

Lawmakers in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, where wild meat has been a traditional delicacy, are among the first in the nation working to transform the top legislature's decision into a workable list of animals that can be consumed. They will continue seeking public opinions until Thursday.

Shenzhen's draft bill exempts farmed pigs, cattle, sheep, donkeys, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons and some aquatic animals from the ban. The list might be adjusted after the consultation.

Conversely, pets such as cats and dogs as well as animals used for scientific research are banned from consumption, according to the draft.

At issue are soft-shell turtles, snakes, birds, frogs and insects, which are artificially bred in large numbers across the country but have not been placed on Shenzhen's list, as the lawmakers allege that the current food supervision and quarantine system is not developed enough to ensure these animals are safe to eat.

Liu Shuguang, head of the legislative affairs commission of Shenzhen people's congress, said that their investigation shows there is no wild animal breeding industry for food purposes in Shenzhen. Further, the market share in catering and trading is very small, therefore the ban is not inappropriate.

But some are not buying that claim. Chen Xiaoshi, former head of the Guangdong soft-shell turtle farming industry association, told China Business Network that the turtle has been managed as an aquatic animal, which falls under the category of economic aquatic products that are not under protection.

Chen also said Hanshou county of Hunan province was praised by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 1978 after local farmers succeeded in artificially breeding the turtles, which led to them being officially recognized as a local specialty.

Statistics show the output of softshell turtles in the country was 300,000 metric tons last year-valued at nearly 100 billion yuan ($14.2 billion)-and led to the creation of more than 2 million jobs.

Reactions from local residents are mixed.

"The authorities must clearly define the edible wild animals as soon as possible so farmers can avoid losses," said Liu Cailing, a veteran soft-shell turtle farmer in neighboring Huizhou.

Some also question the proposed ban on eating artificially bred snakes, as snake soup is allegedly known as the soul of Cantonese food and has been consumed by locals for generations.

"The legislation cannot be a one-size-fits-all. Some farmed wild animals, like snakes, should not be banned. It will hurt the farmers' interests," said Xin Li, a businessman in Shenzhen.

The National Forestry and Grassland Administration said on Wednesday that all licenses held by those who raise banned wild animals must be withdrawn and canceled. But experts said local lawmakers have to heed the voices of different stakeholders before finalizing a blacklist.

"We have not sold snakes since the city's legislature began consulting with the public about the law. Whoever cooks them will taste the law," said a manager in a Shenzhen restaurant famous for its snake dishes, who hints he does not doubt the authority's resolve to make the law real.

Notably, the fine for a wild animal consumer can be as much as 50,000 yuan ($7,125). Violator's social credit records may also be affected in an effort to deter deep-pocketed game meat lovers, and those who engage in the trade and farming of banned wildlife could face a penalty as high as 20 times the value of their products, according to the draft bill.

"It is indispensable to introduce the credit system in the punishment, as the social credit record will make the rich gourmets hesitant before opening their menus," said Ma Yong, deputy secretary-general of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation. "Also, we can utilize public interest litigation to highlight the 'legal rigidity' of the ban."