Harsh punishments are in store for consumers, producers, and traders as Zhuhai further cracks down on the consumption of wild animals or related products beginning May 1.

The policy, Regulations of the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone to Ban Wildlife Consumption, was approved March 31 by the Standing Committee of the 9th Zhuhai Municipal People's Congress at a 2nd plenary meeting of the 28th session.

In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, it is not permissible to eat wild animals under state protection or to trade in terrestrial wild species that are artificially bred and farmed or of significant ecological, scientific, and social value.

If convicted of violating the regulations, offenders will be fined five to 30 times the value of the animals or related products, and those eating outlawed wild animals will pay a factor of two to 10 times the meat's market value. Organizers will be given heavier punishments.

Heavy fines set for dealing in wild animal [Photo by Li Min/China Daily]

A fine of from 150,000 yuan ($21,150) to 200,000 yuan ($28,200) will be imposed on those trading in key state-protected wild animals and related products if the product value is less than 10,000 yuan ($1,410). Otherwise the fine will be 20 to 30 times the product value.

Traders of other outlawed wild animals and related products will be fined from 100,000 yuan ($14,100) to 150,000 yuan if the product value is below 10,000 yuan. Otherwise the fine will be 15 to 20 times the product value.

Online trade platforms, commodity trade and farmer's markets, supermarkets, shopping malls, and operators of transport, storage, and express delivery are forbidden to provide venues or services for wildlife trade and processing, or they will be subject to criminal liability. Any illegal income will be confiscated, and the perpetrator fined three to 10 times the illegal earnings; if there is no illegal income, a fine of 10,000 yuan to 50,000 ($7,050) yuan will be levied.

Catering service providers including restaurants, farmsteads, recreational clubs, canteens, food-processing workshops, and peddlers are not allowed to sell, publicize, or induce the consumption of wild animals and related products.

Those making signboards and menus with the names, epithets, or patterns of wildlife and related products to enthrall consumers should correct them before the deadline given by the market regulation authorities, or be fined 10,000 yuan to 50,000 yuan.