In this file photo dated Oct 4, 2011, a Kadoorie farm employee holds a baby pig-nosed turtle in Hong Kong. (PHOTO / AFP)

The Hong Kong government on Friday added two major shark families to a list of endangered animals, whose trade in the city will now be tightly controlled under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulations.

The new protected species list includes the requiem shark and the hammerhead shark families and various types of turtles and stingrays, according to a government statement.

The special administrative region government on Friday gazetted an amendment to the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance Order to reflect the latest control list of endangered species under the CITES.

The amendment of the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance Order would be tabled at the Legislative Council on Oct 18 for negative vetting, and the new control measures would come into effect on Dec 15, a government spokesman said

“The amendment order aims to give effect to the latest regulations of CITES on the controlled species,” a spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said, adding that it reflected the addition, removal and other changes of species involving a number of species of freshwater turtles, river stingrays, sharks, sea cucumbers, wood, etc.

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“Under the ordinance, except with exemptions or otherwise specified, the import, export, re-export, introduction from the sea or possession of the controlled species, including their parts and derivatives, are subject to licensing control,” reads the government statement.

Some existing controls, according to the amendments, would be relaxed to facilitate the corresponding trade, including some Orchidaceae species in relation to retail trade of relevant cosmetic products, the spokesman said.

The amendment order would be tabled at the Legislative Council on Oct 18 for negative vetting, and the new control measures would come into effect on Dec 15, the spokesman added.

Inclusion of more endangered species on the control list will help enhance protection of more endangered species and “enable Hong Kong to make a contribution to nature conservation at an international level”, said the spokesman.

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The members of the public has been reminded that it’s illegal to import, export or possess any endangered species without a required license and offenders were liable to a maximum penalty of a HK$10 million ($1.78 million) fine and imprisonment for 10 years upon conviction. The specimens would also be forfeited, it added.