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A red swamp crayfish.
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Minister of Agriculture Cao Duc Phat told Forestry, Seafood, Animal Husbandry, Plantation, Veterinary and Plant Protection agencies of all levels to report on exotic animal management before September 15.
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Phat instructed these agencies to check documents on the import-export and management of harmful exotic species and to suggest a list of creatures harmful to Vietnam’s environment.
These agencies must offer statistics on exotic species imported into Vietnam to date, their possible impact and also solutions to control them.
The General Department of Forestry will be responsible for working with other agencies from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to submit a checklist of dangerous exotic species to the Government for approval. This agency will also check rules on importing, testing, breeding and planting exotic species to amend the current situation in Vietnam.
In recent years, many species of exotic plants and animals have been imported into Vietnam, causing heavy economic, environmental and health results. Cited nuisances include the mai duong tree, yellow snail and hamster mice. Most recently, some seafood firms imported red-eared turtles and red swamp crayfish, creating big worries.
The red-eared turtle is among the 100 most dangerous exotic species in the world, while the red swamp crayfish is very big and cruel and can destroy native shrimp species.
In related news, imported red swamp crayfish that could potentially harm native aquatic crayfish have escaped from their cages in southern Hau Giang Province. They are native to the southeast United States and are aggressive, omnivorous and adaptable. They have large claws capable of digging holes that may damage irrigation systems as well.
The provincial Department of Aquaculture head, Ngo Quoc Phuc, commented that the department would co-operate with area authorities to exterminate them this week.
The crayfish, totaling about 50kg, had been illegally kept for two months by farmer Le Van Men. He admitted that he had not tightened the cages, so the crayfish had crawled away.
Agriculture and Rural Development Department investigators reported that the owner of the red swamp crayfish was Bui Quoc Hai, head of Crawfish JS Company in HCM City.
Agriculture and Rural Development Department head Nguyen Van Dong confirmed that it was illegal to import red swamp crayfish, except for research purposes, and that violators would be punished.
PV