NGO member detained for blackmailing fisherman

A member of China's first NGO for finless porpoise protection was detained for blackmail in Yueyang, Hunan province, on March 22.

Li Jingsong, a member of the Finless Porpoise Protection Association, is suspected of asking a fisherman, He Huanglin, to give him 10,000 yuan ($1,600) after catching the fisherman illegally fishing with an electric net on the Dongting Lake.

According to He, Li also said that he would not deliver him to fishery department, and that he would ignore his fishing in the future.

Li admitted he had taken the money, but claimed that the money was spent on repairing and fueling his vehicle, which was used to protect porpoises for free.