FISHERIES (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

The Acting Minister for National Development (Mr Lim Hng Kiang): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The Fisheries Act was first enacted in 1966 to provide for the protection and conservation of fisheries and the regulation of the fishing industry in Singapore. The Act was amended once in 1973 to increase the penalty for illegal trawling in Singapore's territorial waters.

Over the past 28 years, the fishing industry has changed considerably. Following a review, my Ministry has found it necessary to amend the Fisheries Act to update it to meet the current needs of the fishing industry and to achieve more effective implementation.

Over 90% of fish consumed locally is imported. The Primary Production Department (PPD) regulates imports to ensure that all imported fish are safe for consumption. The present Act contains provisions to regulate the import of fresh fish but not processed fish. Currently, the import of processed fish is administratively regulated by PPD. Processed fish may be contaminated through poor manufacturing practices, or improper handling of products. To adequately ensure that all imported fish are safe for consumption, the Bill seeks to extend the provisions of the Act to include processed fish.

Mr Speaker, Sir, currently, the maximum fine for offences committed under the Act or its rules for which no special penalty is provided is $1,000. The existing composition fine is one-fifth of the maximum fine for that offence. In today's context, these fines which have not been revised since 1966 are not adequate as deterrents. For the fines to have deterrent effect, the Bill seeks to raise the maximum fine and maximum composition fine to $10,000 and $1,000 respectively.

The present provisions of the Act and the prescribed penalties for offences relating to the keeping of piranhas are inadequate. Piranhas are prolific breeders which may endanger public safety and our ecology. The Bill seeks to empower the Minister for National Development to make rules pertaining to the prohibition, regulation or control of piranhas and other prescribed dangerous species of fish. Contravention of these rules will be punishable with a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment up to one year. These heavy penalties are to deter any would-be offenders and will help to ensure that dangerous fish species are not illegally brought into Singapore.

To facilitate enforcement of penalties, the Bill seeks to make officers of a corporation liable for an offence committed by the corporation if these officers are found to be involved in the commission of the offence. The Bill also seeks to empower the Subordinate Courts to impose a full penalty for any offence under the Act or its rules.

The present Act gives fishery and police officers powers of search and seizure with respect to fishing vessels and vehicles. For more effective enforcement action, the Bill seeks to extend these powers to include any place or premises. This is necessary to enable authorised officers to search places, such as, fish farms for piranhas and other dangerous fish species, and cold storages for contaminated fish and fish products.

To further facilitate investigation, the Bill also seeks to enhance the powers of authorised officers to enter and search, without warrant, any suspected place or premises. This is important because it may be necessary to seize the contaminated or illegal consignments immediately to prevent them from being removed, distributed or sold for consumption.

In order to safeguard the interests of consumers and the general public, it is timely to introduce amendments to update the Fisheries Act. The Fisheries (Amendment) Bill will enable the Primary Production Department to effectively regulate the fishing industry to protect consumers and introduce stiff penalties to discourage the illegal imports of dangerous species of fish.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Lim Hng Kiang].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.