Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Wildlife 2022

Wildlife Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China Contents Chapter One: General Provisions Chapter Two: Protection of Wildlife and Their Habitats Chapter Three: Administration of Wildlife Chapter Four: Legal Responsibility Chapter Five: Supplementary Provisions Chapter One: General Provisions Article 1 This law is formulated for the purpose of protecting wild animals, saving species of wildlife which are rare or near extinction, maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance, and promoting the establishment of ecological civilization. Article 2 This law applies to the protection of wildlife and related activities in the territory of the People’s Republic of China and maritime areas under its jurisdiction. The wildlife protected under this Law refers to the species, both terrestrial and aquatic, which are rare or near extinction and terrestrial species which are of important ecological, scientific and social value. The wildlife and products thereof covered by this Law refers to the whole (including eggs and spawn), and parts and derivatives thereof. As regards the protection of the species of aquatic wildlife other than those which are rare or near extinction, the provisions of the Fisheries Law of the People’s Republic of China and other relevant laws shall apply. Article 3 Wildlife resources shall be owned by the state. The state safeguards the lawful rights and interests of organisations and individuals engaged in the protection of wildlife and related activities, including scientific research and captive breeding, according to the law. Article 4 The state shall pursue a policy of prioritising protection, regulating utilisation and stringent monitoring and management; shall encourage scientific research into wildlife and the cultivation of public awareness of protecting wildlife; and shall promote the harmonious development of man and nature. Article 5 The state shall protect wildlife and their habitats. The people’s government at the county level and above shall formulate protection plans and measures relating to wildlife and their habitats, and incorporate costs involved with protection of wildlife into their budgets. The state encourages citizens, legal entities and other organisations to participate in wildlife protection activities and support wildlife protection welfare efforts through donations, subsidies, volunteering and other means. The wildlife habitat covered by this Law refers to the main areas where wild populations of wildlife live and reproduce. Article 6 All organisations and individuals have the duty to protect wildlife and their habitats. The illegal hunting or catching or wildlife, or destruction of wildlife habitat, shall be prohibited. All organisations and individuals have the right to report to relevant departments and institutions or file charges against any behaviour that violates this Law. The departments responsible for the protection of wildlife and other departments and institutions should respond in a timely manner to reports or charges filed, according to the law. Article 7 Departments of forestry and fisheries administration under the State Council shall be responsible for the nationwide protection of terrestrial and aquatic wildlife respectively. The departments of forestry and fisheries administration under local governments at or above the county level shall be responsible for the protection and terrestrial and aquatic wildlife respectively in their respective areas. Article 8 The people’s government at various levels shall strengthen efforts in public education and disseminating scientific knowledge and understanding of wildlife protection, and shall encourage and support autonomous grass-roots civil organisations, social organisations, businesses and volunteers in their efforts to develop and promote awareness of wildlife protection laws and regulations and understanding of wildlife protection. Education administration departments and schools shall conduct wildlife protection education for students. News media shall promote wildlife protection laws and regulations and develop awareness of wildlife protection, and monitor public opinion on illegal behaviour. Article 9 Organisations and individuals with notable achievements in the fields of wildlife protection and scientific research shall receive rewards from the people's government at or above the county level. Chapter Two: Protection of Wildlife and Their Habitats Article 10 The state shall carry out wildlife protection according to grading and classification. The state shall give special protection to the species of wildlife which are rare or near extinction. The wildlife under special state protection shall consist of two classes: wildlife under first class protection and wildlife under second class protection. Lists of wildlife under special state protection shall be drawn up by the department of wildlife protection under the State Council following scientific evaluation, shall be revised every five years according to the results of evaluation, and shall be announced after being submitted to and approved by the State Council. The wildlife under special local protection, being different from the wildlife under special state protection, refers to the wildlife specially protected by provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities. Lists of wildlife under special local protection and amendments thereto shall be drawn up, revised and announced by the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities following scientific evaluation organised by these local governments. Lists of terrestrial wildlife which are of important ecological, scientific or social value shall be drawn up, revised and announced by the department of wildlife protection under the State Council, following scientific evaluation organised by the department. Article 11 Departments of wildlife protection under the people’s government at county level and above shall regularly organise or commission relevant scientific research institutions to conduct surveys, monitoring and evaluation of wildlife and their habitat, and shall establish robust records of wildlife and their habitats. Surveying, monitoring and evaluation of wildlife and their habitats shall include the following: 1. Distribution, numbers and structure of wildlife populations; 2. Area and ecology of wildlife habitats; 3. Major threats to wildlife and their habitats; 4. Captive breeding of wildlife and other aspects requiring surveying, monitoring or evaluation. Article 12 The department of wildlife protection under the State Council shall, jointly with the relevant departments under the State Council, draw up and issue a list of important wildlife habitats, based on the results of surveying, monitoring and evaluation of wildlife and their habitats. The people's government at the provincial level and above shall designate corresponding nature reserves in accordance with the law; shall protect wildlife and their important habitats; and shall protect, restore and improve the environments in which wildlife live. In those areas which are unsuitable for designation as nature reserves, the people's government at the county level or above may apply other protection measures, such as allocating areas in which hunting (or fishing) is prohibited, or stipulating periods in which hunting (or fishing) is prohibited. Human activities that disturb or threaten wildlife breeding behaviour, such as cultivating monocultures, excessive use of agricultural chemicals, or introducing non-native species shall be prohibited or restricted in corresponding nature reserves. The demarcation and administration of corresponding nature reserves shall be in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. Article 13 The people's government at the county level and above shall, when drawing up plans relating to exploitation and utilisation, give due consideration to the protection of wildlife and their habitats; shall analyse, calculate and evaluate all potential impacts that implementation of these plans may have on protection and wildlife and their habitats; and shall avoid or reduce adverse impacts that could result from the implementation of these plans. Construction projects that are not permitted by construction laws and regulations shall be prohibited in nature reserves. The selection of sites and routes for construction projects such as airports, railways, roads, irrigation and hydroelectricity projects, cofferdams and land reclamation shall avoid nature reserve and other protected areas and wildlife migration routes. If they cannot be avoided, infrastructure to allow for wildlife migration shall be constructed, such as tunnels and fish passes, to eliminate or reduce adverse impacts on wildlife. When the departments that examine and approve environmental impact assessment documents are examining and approving environmental impact assessment documents relating to construction projects that may impact upon nature reserves or other protected areas or wildlife migration routes, they shall seek the opinion of wildlife protection departments under the State Council if wildlife under special national protection may be affected, and shall seek the opinion of wildlife protection departments under the governments of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities if wildlife under special local protection may be affected. Article 14 Departments of wildlife protection at various levels shall keep watch on and monitor the impact of the environment on wildlife. When the environmental impact causes harm to wildlife, the department of wildlife protection shall conduct an investigation and deal with the matter jointly with the departments concerned. Article 15 When wildlife under special state or local protection are threatened by a sudden incident such as natural disasters or major environmental pollution incidents, the local people's government shall undertake timely rescue measures. Wildlife protection departments under the people’s government at county level and above shall organise and develop wildlife shelter and rescue programmes in accordance with relevant national regulations. Trading in wildlife and products thereof under the guise of wildlife shelter and rescue shall be prohibited. Article 16 Wildlife protection departments and veterinary departments under the people's government at the county level and above shall monitor wildlife epidemiology and organise and develop forecasting measures, dividing responsibility according to their professional duties, and shall draw up emergency response plans for wildlife epidemics in accordance with regulations, which shall be passed to the equivalent level of the people's government for approval or filing. Wildlife protection departments, veterinary departments and health departments under the people’s government at county level and above shall be responsible for the prevention and management duties relating to zoonoses, dividing responsibility according to their professional duties. Article 17 The state shall strengthen protection of genetic wildlife resources, and shall capture genetic information of endangered wildlife. Wildlife protection departments under the State Council shall draw up plans relating to the protection and utilisation of wildlife genetic resources in conjunction with the relevant departments under the State Council, and shall establish a national gene bank for endangered species genetic resources, thereby providing important protection for the genetic resources of China's native wildlife which is rare or close to extinction. Article 18 The local people’s governments concerned shall take measures to prevent and control potential harm caused by wildlife so as to guarantee the safety of human beings and livestock and ensure agricultural and forestry production. Article 19 If protection of wildlife for which protection is stipulated by this law causes injury or death to staff, losses to crops or other loss of property, the local people’s governments shall make compensation for them, which shall be formulated by the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. The relevant local people’s government may encourage insurance bodies to develop insurance programmes which compensate for harm caused by wildlife. The expenditure required by measures taken by local governments to prevent and control harm caused by wildlife under special state protection and the implementation of compensation programmes shall be covered by the central budget, in accordance with relevant national regulations. Chapter Three: Administration of Wildlife Article 20 In nature reserves, in areas closed to hunting (and fishing), and during seasons closed to hunting (and fishing), the hunting and catching of wildlife and other activities which are harmful to the living and breeding of wildlife shall be prohibited, although exceptions may be provided by other laws and regulations. The hunting and catching of wildlife shall be prohibited and other activities which are harmful to the living and breeding of wildlife stringently restricted during periods of wildlife migration and along migration routes outside the areas defined in the preceding clause. The scope of migration routes and the nature of those activities which are harmful to the living and breeding of wildlife shall be stipulated and announced by the people's government at the county level or above, or other departments of wildlife protection. Article 21 The hunting, catching or killing of wildlife under special state protection shall be prohibited. Where the hunting or catching of wildlife under first class state protection is necessary for scientific research, population control, epidemic monitoring or other special purposes, the unit concerned shall apply to the department of wildlife protection under the State Council for a special hunting and catching licence. Where the hunting or catching of wildlife under second class state protection is necessary, the unit concerned shall apply to the department of wildlife protection under the people’s government of the province, autonomous region or municipality for a special hunting and catching licence. Article 22 Anyone who intends to hunt or catch terrestrial wildlife that is not under special state protection shall obtain a hunting licence issued by the department of wildlife protection under the local people’s government at the county level and above, in accordance with the law, and shall observe the hunting quota assigned. Article 23 Anyone engaged in the hunting or catching of wildlife shall observe the prescriptions in his special hunting and catching license or his hunting license with respect to the species, quantity, area, implement, method and time limit. Anyone hunting with guns shall obtain a gun licence from the public security bureau in accordance with the law. Article 24 Hunting with poisons, explosives, electric shocks or electronic trapping equipment or hunting equipment such as snares, traps, ground guns and volleys is prohibited. Use of hunting methods such as hunting with night-time illumination, hunting by annihilation, destroying nests or dens, fire attacks, fumigation and nets shall also be prohibited, excepting the use of nets and electronic trapping equipment for the purposes of scientific research. Hunting equipment and methods aside from those prohibited as defined in the preceding clause shall be stipulated and announced by the people's government at the county level and above. Article 25 The state shall support relevant scientific research institutions in conducting captive breeding of wildlife under special state protection for the purposes of protection of the species. For captive breeding of wildlife under special state protection for reasons other than that stipulated in the paragraph above the state shall implement a permit system. Anyone intending to breed wildlife under special state protection shall obtain the approval of departments of wildlife protection under the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality and shall obtain a captive breeding permit. Exemptions may be provided by other regulations that designated a different authorization agency by the State Council. Anyone intending to breed wildlife under special state protection shall use captive-bred offspring as founder stock, and shall establish a species genealogy, breeding records and records of individual data. Where it is absolutely necessary to use wild founder stock for the purposes of protecting the species, Articles 21 and 23 shall apply. Captive-bred offspring as referred to in this law are those individuals born in human-controlled conditions whose parent stock were also born under human-controlled conditions. Article 26 Captive breeding of wildlife under special state protection shall benefit the protection of the species and scientific research, and may not damage wild populations. Anyone intending to breed wildlife under special state protection shall ensure that they have the necessary living space and conditions for the movement, reproduction, hygiene and health of the animal according to its habits and properties; that they are equipped with adequate premises, facilities and technology in line with the purpose, type and scale of the captive breeding operation; that they can satisfy relevant technical standards and disease prevention requirements; and that the wildlife is not abused. Departments of wildlife protection under the people’s government at the provincial level and above may, where necessary for the protection of species under special state protection, organise and carry out the release of species under special state protection into the wild. Article 27 The sale, purchase and utilisation of wildlife under special state protection or the products thereof shall be prohibited. Where the sale, purchase or utilisation of wildlife under special state protection or the products thereof is necessary for scientific research, captive breeding, public exhibition or performances, heritage conservation or other special purposes, the unit involved shall obtain the approval of departments of wildlife protection under the people’s government of the province, autonomous region or municipality, and shall obtain and use special markings in line with regulations, and shall guarantee traceability. Exemptions may be provided by other regulations that designated a different authorization agency by the State Council. The scope and administration of the system of special markings for wildlife under special state protection and the products thereof shall be stipulated by the department of wildlife protection under the State Council. The sale and utilisation of wildlife that is not under special state protection shall require provision of proof of legal origin, such as hunting, import or export permit. The sale of wildlife as stipulated in the second and fourth paragraphs of this Article shall also require proof of quarantine, in accordance with the law. Article 28 Wildlife under special state protection for which there exists established knowledge and techniques for captive breeding may, following scientific deliberation, be included on a list drawn up by the department of wildlife protection under the State Council of captive-bred wildlife under special state protection. A special marking will be issued for wildlife included on this list and the products thereof which have a captive breeding permit, issued in line with annual production quotas verified by the departments of wildlife protection under the people’s government of the province, autonomous region or municipality. The wildlife and products thereof with this special marking may be sold and utilised, providing traceability is guaranteed. When lists of wildlife under special state protection are amended according to Article 10, based on the conservation status of relevant wild populations, this may mean that the captive populations of species mentioned in the paragraph above, for which there exists established knowledge and techniques for captive breeding, are no longer listed as wildlife under special state protection and are subject to different protection measures from wild populations. In this case, a captive breeding permit and special marking shall be obtained in accordance with the second paragraph of Article 25 and the first paragraph of this Article. Article 29 Anyone utilising wildlife and the products thereof shall primarily use captive-bred populations, shall benefit the breeding and conservation of wild populations, shall abide by the requirements of ecological civilization, and shall abide by laws, regulations and relevant national statutes. The production and utilisation of wildlife and the products thereof as medicine shall abide by relevant laws and regulations relating to administration of medicines. Article 30 The production and trade of wildlife under special state protection and the products thereof shall for use as food shall be prohibited; the production and trade of wildlife not under special state protection and the products thereof which does not have proof of legal origin for use as food shall be prohibited. The illegal purchase of wildlife under special state protection and the products thereof for use as food shall be prohibited. Article 31 Publishing of advertisements relating to the sale, purchase or utilisation of wildlife or prohibited hunting equipment shall be prohibited. Publishing of adverts relating to the illegal sale, purchase or utilisation of wildlife products shall be prohibited. Article 32 The provision of trading platforms for the illegal sale, purchase or utilisation of wildlife and the products thereof or prohibited hunting equipment by internet trading platforms, goods exchange markets or other trading space is prohibited. Article 33 Anyone transporting, carrying or posting wildlife under special state protection or the products thereof, or the wildlife or products thereof stipulated in the second paragraph of Article 28 of this Law, outside the borders of their county shall hold or present a licence, a copy of an approval document or a special label as stipulated in Articles 21, 25, 27 and 28 of this Law, and proof of quarantine. Anyone transporting wildlife that is not under special state protection outside the borders of their county shall obtain proof of legal origin, such as hunting licence, import or export permit, and proof of quarantine. Article 34 The departments of wildlife protection under the people’s government at county level and above shall conduct the supervision and administration of utilisation of wildlife and products thereof, such as scientific research, captive breeding and public exhibitions and performances. The people’s government at the county level and above and their relevant departments shall, according to their respective duties, conduct the supervision and inspection of the sale, purchase, utilisation, transport and mailing of wildlife and the products thereof. Article 35 Lists of wildlife and products thereof the trade in which is prohibited or restricted by international conventions which China has concluded or to which China is a party shall be drawn up, revised and announced by the Chinese CITES Management Authority. The import and export of wildlife and the products thereof included in the list mentioned in the previous paragraph and the export of wildlife under special state protection and the products thereof shall be approved by the department of wildlife protection under the State Council or by the State Council, and an import or export permit must be obtained from the Chinese CITES Management Authority. Entry and exit quarantine procedures shall be conducted in accordance with the law. Customs shall conduct entry procedures according to regulations where there is an import permit document. The export of the species of wildlife involving scientific and technological secrets shall be dealt with in accordance with relevant provisions of the State Council. The wildlife included in the list mentioned in the first paragraph, subject to approval by the department of wildlife protection under the State Council, can be managed as wildlife under special state protection where this law applies. Article 36 The state shall organise and implement international cooperation and exchange relating to wildlife protection and corresponding law enforcement activities; establish cross-department coordination mechanisms to guard against and tackle the smuggling and illegal trade in wildlife and products thereof, and develop campaigns to guard against and tackle the smuggling and illegal trade in wildlife. Article 37 Introductions/import of wildlife species from outside Chinese borders shall be approved by the department of wildlife protection under the State Council. Introductions/imports of wildlife included in the lists stipulated in the first paragraph of Article 35 of this Law from outside Chinese borders shall require an import and export permit documents, in accordance with the law. Entry and exit quarantine procedures shall be conducted in accordance with the law. Customs shall conduct entry procedures according to regulations where there is an import permit or other import-export permission documentation and proof of quarantine. Anyone introducing non-native wildlife species shall take appropriate preventative measures to prevent their entering the wild and avoid harm to ecosystems. Where it is absolutely necessary to release them into the wild, this shall be conducted in accordance with relevant national regulations. Article 38 If any organisation or individual releases wildlife into the wild, they shall choose local species which are suited to survival in the area; may not interfere with the normal lives or production of local people; and must avoid harming local ecosystems. Anyone who wantonly releases wildlife, causing harm to other persons or property or harming ecosystems, will bear legal responsibility according to the law. Article 39 The forgery, modification, sale, purchase, transfer, borrowing or lending of special hunting and catching licences, hunting licences, captive breeding permits and special labels, documents which approve the sale purchase or utilisation of wildlife under special state protection and the products thereof, or import and export permits is prohibited. Information relating to the granting of permits, special markings and approval documents stipulated above shall be made public in accordance with the law. Article 40 Where any foreigner intends to make surveys of or to film or videotape wildlife under special state protection in the wild in China, they shall apply for approval by the departments of wildlife protection under the government of the province, autonomous region or municipality or by a unit authorised by the same department, and shall abide by relevant laws and regulations. Article 41 The administrative measures for wildlife under special local protection and for other wildlife that is not under special state protection shall be formulated by the people's congresses of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government or their standing committees. Chapter Four: Legal Responsibility Article 42 Where departments of wildlife protection or other relevant departments and institutions do not make decisions relating to administrative permits or according to the law; discover illegal behaviour or receive reports of illegal behaviour and do not investigate, or fail to investigate according to the law; abuse their powers of authority; or in any other way fail to conduct their professional duty in accordance with this law, it is the duty of the relevant departments and institutions of the people’s government at an equivalent or higher level to stop and rectify this behaviour; the manager responsible and other staff directly responsible shall receive a demerit, a major demerit or a demotion. If there are serious consequences, they shall be fired, and the person in charge should admit responsibility and resign. Where this constitutes a crime, they shall be pursued for criminal responsibility in accordance with the law. Article 43 Anyone who violates the third clause of Article 12 or the second clause of Article 13 of this Law shall be punished in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. Article 44 If anyone, in violation of the third clause of Article 15, trades in wildlife or the products thereof under the guise of wildlife shelter and rescue, the department of wildlife protection under the people’s government at the county level and above shall confiscate the wildlife and products thereof and unlawful income gained; shall impose a fine of between two and ten times the value of the wildlife or the products thereof; and shall record relevant criminal information in public records and release to the public. Where this constitutes a crime, they shall be pursued for criminal responsibility in accordance with the law. Article 45 If anyone, in violation of Article 20, Article 21, the first clause of Article 23 or the first clause of Article 24, hunts or catches wildlife under special state protection in a nature reserve or in an area or during a season closed to hunting (or fishing); hunts, catches or kills wildlife under special state protection without obtaining a special hunting or catching permit or in violation of the prescriptions of such a permit; or hunts or catches wildlife under special state protection using a prohibited hunting implement or method, the department of wildlife protection under the people’s government at the county level or above, the department of maritime law enforcement or the relevant protected area management authority shall, dividing responsibility according to their professional duties, confiscate their catch, hunting implements and all unlawful income, suspend special hunting licences, and fine the perpetrator between two and ten times the value of their catch; where a catch is not present, the perpetrator shall be fined between 10,000 and 50,000 yuan. Where this constitutes a crime, they shall be pursued for criminal responsibility in accordance with the law. Article 46 If anyone, in violation of Article 20, Article 22, the first clause of Article 23 or the first clause of Article 24, hunts or catches wildlife that is not under special state protection in a nature reserve or in an area or during a season closed to hunting (or fishing); hunts, catches or kills wildlife not under special state protection without obtaining a hunting or catching permit or in violation of the prescriptions of such a permit; or hunts or catches wildlife not under special state protection using a prohibited hunting implement or method, the department of wildlife protection under the people’s government at the county level or above, or the relevant protected area management authority shall, dividing responsibility according to their professional duties, confiscate their catch, hunting implements and all unlawful income, suspend special hunting licences, and fine the perpetrator between one and five times the value of their catch; where a catch is not present, the perpetrator shall be fined between 2,000 and 10,000 yuan. Where this constitutes a crime, they shall be pursued for criminal responsibility in accordance with the law. Anyone who, in violation of the second clause of Article 23, hunts wildlife with a hunting rifle without a licence for the rifle, and where this constitutes a violation of public security administrative regulations, they shall be punished by the public security bureau in accordance with Regulations on Administrative Penalties for Public Security. Where this constitutes a crime, they shall be pursued for criminal responsibility in accordance with the law. Article 47 If anyone, in violation of the second clause of Article 25 of this Law, breeds wildlife under special state protection or wildlife stipulated in the second clause of Article 28 without a captive breeding permit, the wildlife and products thereof shall be confiscated by the department of wildlife protection under the people’s government at the county level and above, and the perpetrator shall be fined between one and five times the value of the wildlife and products thereof. Article 48 If anyone, in violation of the first and second clause of Article 27, the first clause of Article 28 and the first clause of Article 33, sells, purchases, utilises, transports, carries or mails wildlife under special state protection or the products thereof or the wildlife stipulated in the second clause of Article 28 or the products thereof without permission, without a special marking or in violation of the prescriptions of the special marking, or without holding or presenting a captive breeding permit or permission document or a special marking, the department of wildlife protection under the people’s government at the county level and above or the administrative authority for industry and commerce shall, dividing responsibility according to their professional duties, confiscate the wildlife and the products thereof and all unlawful income, and shall fine the perpetrator between two and ten times the value of the wildlife and products thereof. If the circumstances are serious, the perpetrator’s captive breeding permit and permission documents shall be revoked and special markings recalled. Where this constitutes a crime, they shall be pursued for criminal responsibility in accordance with the law. If anyone, in violation of the fourth clause of Article 27 and the second clause of Article 33, sells, utilises or transports wildlife not under state protection without proof of legal origin, the department of wildlife protection under the people’s government at county level or above or the administrative authority for industry and commerce shall, dividing responsibility according to their professional duties, confiscate the wildlife and fine the perpetrator between one and five times the value of the wildlife. If anyone, in violation of the fifth clause of Article 27 or Article 33, sells, transports, carries or posts relevant wildlife or the products thereof without holding or presenting proof of quarantine, they shall be punished according to the regulations in the Animal Epidemic Prevention Law of the People’s Republic of China. Article 49 If anyone, in violation of Article 30, produces or trades foodstuffs made using wildlife under special state protection or the products thereof, or wildlife not under state protection or the products thereof without proof of legal origin, or illegally purchases wildlife under special state protection or the products thereof for the purposes of consumption as food, the department of wildlife protection under the people’s government at the county level and above or the administrative authority for industry and commerce shall, dividing responsibility according to their professional duties, issue an order to cease the illegal behaviour, shall confiscate the wildlife and products thereof and all unlawful income, and shall issue of a fine equivalent to between two and ten times the value of the wildlife and products thereof. Where this constitutes a crime, they shall be pursued for criminal responsibility in accordance with the law. Article 50 If anyone, in violation of Article 31, publishes an advertisement relating to the illegal sale, purchase or utilisation of wildlife and the products thereof or prohibited hunting equipment, they shall be punished according to the Advertising Law of the People’s Republic of China. Article 51 If anyone, in violation of Article 32, provides a trading platform for the illegal sale, purchase or utilisation of wildlife or the products thereof or prohibited hunting equipment, the administrative authority for industry and commerce under the people’s government at county level and above shall issue an order to cease this illegal behaviour and make corrections within a prescribed time limit; shall confiscate all unlawful income; and shall issue a fine of between two and five times the amount of this unlawful income. Where no unlawful income was gained, a fine shall be issued of between 10,000 and 50,000 yuan. Where this constitutes a crime, they shall be pursued for criminal responsibility in accordance with the law. Article 52 If anyone, in violation of Article 35, imports of exports wildlife or the products thereof, he shall be punished by Customs, the department of inspection and quarantine, the public security bureau or the department of maritime law enforcement in accordance with relevant laws, regulations and national statutes. Where this constitutes a crime, they shall be pursued for criminal responsibility in accordance with the law. Article 53 If anyone, in violation of the first clause of Article 37, introduces non-native wildlife species from outside Chinese borders, the introduced wildlife shall be confiscated by the department of wildlife protection under the people’s government at county level and above, and the perpetrator shall be fined between 50,000 and 200,000 yuan. Anyone who fails to properly conduct quarantine when importing wildlife in accordance with the law, they shall be punished according to the regulations in the Law of the People's Republic of China on Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine. Where this constitutes a crime, they shall be pursued for criminal responsibility in accordance with the law. Article 54 If anyone, in violation of the second clause of Article 37, releases wildlife introduced from outside Chinese borders into the wild, they shall be ordered by the department of wildlife protection under the people’s government at county level and above to recapture the wildlife within a prescribed time limit, and shall be fined between 10,000 yuan and 50,000 yuan. If the wildlife is not recaptured within the prescribed time limit, the relevant department of wildlife protection shall recapture the wildlife or take other measures in order to lower the impact of the act. The person ordered to recapture the wildlife within a prescribed time limit shall be held liable for the costs involved in recapture. Article 55 If anyone, in violation of the first clause of Article 39, forges, modifies, sells, purchases, transfers, borrows or lends a relevant certificate, special marking or other relevant permission document, the department of wildlife protection under the people’s government at county level and above shall confiscate the illegal certificate, special marking or relevant permission document and any unlawful income, and shall issue a fine of between between 50,000 and 200,000 yuan. Where this constitutes a violation of public security administrative regulations, the public security bureau shall issue a civil administrative penalty. Where this constitutes a crime, they shall be pursued for criminal responsibility in accordance with the law. Article 56 Articles confiscated in accordance with this Law shall be dealt with by the department of wildlife protection under the people’s government at county level and above or by a unit authorised by the same department. Article 57 Evaluation criteria and procedures for the valuation catches, wildlife and the products thereof stipulated in this Law shall be stipulated by the department of wildlife protection under the State Council. Article 58 Anyone who has caused losses to crops or other losses to other people while hunting or catching wildlife shall be liable for civil responsibility in accordance with the law. Chapter Five: Supplementary Provisions Article 59 This Law shall come into force on January 1, 2017.