Ensuring Accuracy of Species Declarations for Shark’s Fin Shipments

4 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for National Development (a) what percentage of shark's fin shipments undergo sampling and DNA analysis to ensure that the species declarations are accurate; (b) for each year in the past five years, how many cases of false declarations were detected; and (c) whether there are plans to introduce a mandatory labelling scheme for all shark products specifying the species of shark.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for National Development): Singapore is a Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), which is an international agreement to ensure that trade does not threaten wildlife species with extinction. Trade in CITES-listed species, including some shark species, is regulated through a system of CITES permits, which are issued by both importing and exporting countries in accordance with CITES rules and regulations.

AVA acts based on credible information, tip-offs from other regulatory agencies and market surveillance to identify shark's fin consignments that may not have the necessary CITES permits or may have been wrongly declared. In the past five years, AVA has found one consignment of shark's fin to be wrongly declared.

AVA will continue to review and update its enforcement and regulatory regime to ensure that it is effective.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the reply. I think the part (a) and part (c) was not replied. Part (a) on what percentage of the shark's fin shipments undergo sampling and DNA analysis and part (c) on whether we will establish a mandatory labelling scheme so that consumers will actually know what species of sharks they are consuming, whether it is protected or not protected.

Ms Sun Xueling: In accordance with the CITES regulations, AVA requires all imports of CITES-listed shark species to be accompanied with permits, I think I mentioned this before. So, this is the first layer of checks. As I have also mentioned earlier in my reply, the AVA then adopts a targeted approach to act on shark's fin consignments that may have been brought in without the necessary permits or to have been wrongly declared. These consignments then undergo DNA testing to verify if the species declarations are accurate. So, when a shark's fin consignment has been flagged, based on tip-offs or surveillance, AVA samples different fins within the same consignment for further testing and DNA analysis.

Mr Speaker: Can you ask for permission before speaking, Mr Louis Ng?

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: Sorry. The question is what percentage is actually sampled. So, out of all the shipments that come into Singapore, how many percent do we take the samples out for DNA sampling? Sir, again, the part (c) of the question, which is the mandatory labelling scheme.

Ms Sun Xueling: As I have mentioned, the way we have been supervising this is that we are looking at it on a risk-based assessment. So, as I have shared, it is based on tip-offs or surveillance, and when that happens, then AVA samples different fins within the consignment for further testing and DNA analysis. On whether or not there should be a mandatory labelling scheme, currently AVA regulates food labelling primarily for the purposes of food safety and public health. AVA would need to carefully study the effectiveness, the regulatory impact and resource implications of a food labelling scheme based on environmental considerations.