1,800 lbs of Dolphin Meat Seized by Taiwan Officials
Two people have been arrested and 1,800 lbs of dolphin meat seized by the Taiwan Coast Guard in a raid on a couple’s residence in western Taiwan. The couple claimed to have gotten the meat from an undisclosed supplier in the north and had already unloaded nearly 300 lbs to local restaurants.
A lab test confirmed that meat purchased from the couple by an undercover officer was dolphin meat, but Taiwan introduced a new biotechnology just last month that can determine the species of a meat at the site it is being sold in an effort to crack down on the trade and possession of cetacean meat. All species of whales and dolphins have been protected in Taiwan by federal law since 1989.
The couple faces up to a $50,000 fine and as much as 5 years in jail for violating federal wildlife protection laws, while the Coast Guard is still in search of the suppliers.
Source: www.aquaviews.net
