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進口俄羅斯野生動物 美狩獵用品公司遭訴

2007年09月17日
摘譯自2007年9月12日ENS美國,德州休士頓報導;吳萃慧編譯;蔡麗伶審校

美國打獵聯盟主席科恩。圖片來源:Hunting Consortium一個維吉尼亞州打獵用品公司於2002年的一次俄羅斯打獵旅程中違反美國與俄羅斯野生動物法,因而於9月12日在美國德州休士頓被起訴。

美國聯邦司法部環境與自然資源組的代理助理首席檢察長譚帕斯(Ronald Tenpas)表示,一個在維吉尼亞州貝里維爾(Berryville)經營打獵用品公司的美國打獵聯盟(the Hunting Consortium)主席科恩(Robert Kern)及他的公司因違反拉賽法(the Lacey Act,譯註:美國聯邦野生動物保護法案,對外來脊椎動物入境進行規範)被一個聯邦大陪審團起訴。

拉賽法禁止任何人進出口、運輸、販賣、取得、或購買任何違反外國野生動物而取得、擁有、運送、或賣出的外國野生動物產品。

這項指控是根據2002年暑假,科恩在俄羅斯所組織的一次打獵行動中,被指出使用直昇機來為同行獵人尋找具有戰利品規格(trophy-sized)的北美麋鹿及綿羊。據瞭解,直昇機被用來當作獵人從空中掃射的平台。

使用直昇機獵取野生動物在俄羅斯是被禁止的。這些被做為戰利品的野生動物肢體之後就從俄羅斯被運出並由休士頓機場輸入美國。

科恩及打獵聯盟分別依嚴重違反拉賽法而起訴,判處5年徒刑的最重罰則,科恩及打獵聯盟並分別被課以25萬及50萬美元罰金。

U.S. Outfitter Indicted for Russian Wildlife Imports
HOUSTON, Texas, September 12, 2007 (ENS)

A Virginia hunting outfitter was indicted today in Houston, accused of breaking U.S. and Russian wildlife laws during a 2002 hunting trip to Russia.

Robert Kern, the president of the Hunting Consortium, a hunting outfitter based in Berryville, Virginia, and the company itself were both indicted by a federal grand jury for violating the Lacey Act, said Ronald Tenpas, acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.

The Lacey Act prohibits anyone from importing, exporting, transporting, selling, receiving, acquiring or purchasing in foreign commerce any wildlife taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of any foreign law related to wildlife.

The indictment is based on a hunt in Russia in the summer of 2002 that was organized by Kern.
During the hunt, Kern is alleged to have used helicopters to locate trophy-sized moose and sheep for hunters on the trip. The helicopters were then allegedly used as airborne shooting platforms by the hunters.

The use of helicopters in the taking of wildlife is prohibited by Russian law. The trophy parts of the wildlife were then transported from Russia and imported into the United States at an airport in Houston.

Kern and the Hunting Consortium are each charged with a felony violation of the Lacey Act, which carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for Kern, and a $500,000 fine for the Hunting Consortium.

全文及圖片詳見ENS

作者

蔡麗伶(LiLing Barricman)

In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.