The red-claw crayfish still being sold in HCM City despite ban

Captain Crawfish Restaurant on Phan Xich Long Street, Phu Nhuan District, in HCM City is blatantly selling red-claw crayfish.

Restaurant staff said that the restaurant also offered a delivery service for customers if they want. Half a kilo of red-claw crayfish cost VND325,000 -445,000 (USD14.13-19.34). However, the staff failed to answer questions about the crayfishes origins.

The restaurant menu includes both Vietnamese red-claw crayfish and imported varieties.

Captain Crawfish is among hundreds of restaurants managed by Huy Viet Food Processing Ltd. Co. which owes various brands such as Mon Hue, Ong Hung noodles, Shilla Korean BBQ Restaurant and Iki Sushi.

Following instructions from the authorities, the trade and consumption of red-claw crayfish, advertising for them has slowed.

Red-craw crayfish are considered an invasive alien species. It could harm the country’s biodiversity and agricultural production as they eat both live and dead animals and plants.

Crayfish can also easily carry and spread diseases to shrimp, and can burrow in and destroy dykes. They are mainly imported from China and the US.

The Market Watchdog Department said it would tighten inspections in northern border provinces to prevent the import of banned red-claw crayfish into Vietnam.

The department would also inspect supermarkets, seafood stores, restaurants and hotels that served crayfish in big cities such as Hanoi, HCM City, Danang and Haiphong. Violators would be fined.

According to the General Department of Customs, Vietnamese companies imported up to 23 tonnes of frozen red-claw crayfish between January and mid-May this year worth around USD82,800. Dtinews/VNS