Officials said a new law on endangered animal and plant species will take effect on Friday, when people will need a permit to carry regulated items, such as shark's fin and rhodiola root, in and out of Hong Kong.

"Anyone who has yet to receive a permit and import or export goods like shark fin and roseroot powder on the list is an offence," said Jenny Lau, an endangered species protection officer at the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said at a press conference on Thursday.

"The AFCD reminds the public that when they go on holiday, they must not carry shark fin and roseroot powder without a permit."

However, people will not need a permit for making relevant transactions within the territory.

Meanwhile, customs officials said through the first 11 months of the year, the number of cases involving endangered species, worth nearly HK$80 million, is about 30 percent more than the figure for 2022.

They noted that there has been a marked rise involving travellers since the border reopening in February.