S’porean faces fisheries charges

A SINGAPOREAN is on a K25,000 bail after being charged with five breaches of  the country’s National Fisheries Act.
Chian Huan Choon, who has been dealing with sea cucumbers and shark fins, appeared before magistrate Cosmas Bidar at the Waigani District Court last Friday after being charged on July 31.
The court read to Chian all the charges, which included providing false information to fisheries officers, who were investigating him, storing shark fins at his Badili area home without a licence and a storage premise without a licence.
“I got no licence so I don’t trade, but I use products for my own consumption,” Chian told the court when the charge of storing shark fins was being read to him.
Other charges Chian is facing includes possession of sea cucumber products despite a national government ban on its harvest for three years.
In addition, Chian was charged with not having a valid operating licence to deal with shark fins.
“People come and give it to me for personal consumption,” Chian told the court
He said his in-law has been providing the products to him for a long time.
He told the court that he was comfortable communicating in English, although at times he did not seem to understand some charges read to him.