But according to Thomas Tam of the United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society in Vancouver, a few people use the issue ''as a weapon against us''. He noted that most Chinese Canadians comply with provincial laws banning the possession and sale of gall bladders. The federal government and several provinces have passed new legislation aimed at banning the trade in gall bladders and paws. Gall bladders are prized in traditional medicines, while paws are a culinary treat in some Asian communities. The gall bladder trade is believed to be lucrative, but it is difficult to add up the gains.
Customs agents are unlikely to recognise the fig-shaped organs.
Those who have been caught have rarely been imprisoned, but the new federal wildlife trade and protection act calls for up to five years in prison, with fines of up to 112,000 U.S. dollars for individuals. The penalty would double for corporations caught trading gall bladders. The native people are extremely interested in preserving this species,'' said Hollingsworth, a member of the Ojibway nation. Gail Anderson, a forensic entomologist at Simon Fraser University near Vancouver who helps determine the time of death when a body is found, assists the province of British Columbia in its anti-poaching efforts. She calls bear poaching ''the second most profitable crime in North America after drug dealing''.