Northeast China's Liaoning Province has announced a decree prohibiting any individuals and businesses from excavating fossils.

Zhang Dianshuang, deputy director of the provincial bureau of land and resources, made the remark at a recent provincial meeting on protecting the rare resources of ancient organism fossils.

The bureau has decided to strictly restrict, and eventually ban, fossil marketing. By doing so, the province will curb random excavation and illegal fossil sales, according to Zhang.

As to the 50 stores which are authorized to sell fossils, examinations will be made when they reach one year of operation, and those which cannot meet certain requirements will be closed. By the end of next year, all individual businesses involving sale of fossils will be shut down.

Liaoning boasts rich fossil resources. At present, more than 1,000 fossilized birds belonging to 22 species have been discovered, topping other regions in the world.

(Xinhua News Agency September 23, 2002)