Taiwan Coastguards Seize 1,800 pounds of Dolphin Meat

Taiwan coastguards announced Thursday that they had seized 1,800 pounds of dolphin meat.

The latest raid is one of the several attempts by the Taiwan government to protect endangered animals in the country. The meat was found at a couple's home in Yunlin county Tuesday, AFP reported. The couple said that they had obtained the meat from a supplier and had already sold 120 kilograms or about 264 pounds of meat to restaurants.

"The seizure was the biggest this year," Shih Yi-che, a coastguard spokesman, told AFP.

The meat seized in the current raid was purchased by an undercover officer who then sent the sample to a laboratory. The couple has been arrested and if convicted, faces a five-year jail term along with a fine of up to 1.5 million Taiwan dollars, which is about $50,000.

Catching whales and dolphins is illegal in Taiwan since 1989. However, many fishermen still continue hunting these mammals. The meat is especially sold in rural markets and is called as "sea pork". Some people believe that dolphin meat has supplementary value. The meat is often given to women who have recently given birth or old people.

To step-up conservation efforts, Taiwan had recently introduced a litmus-paper test in its training schedule for police and other officials. The new test speeds-up the process of identifying dolphin or whale meat.