VietNamNet Bridge – The fact that Vietnam prohibited while leg shrimp hatchery and then removed the ban shows that its state management agencies still get puzzled in exotic creature management.

The stories of shrimp and oyster

In August 2011, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MONRE) added white leg shrimp and Pacific oyster into the list of harmful exotic creatures, which means that the two kinds of aquatic products must not be imported in Vietnam.

The decision then raised a debate between the ministry and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), which believed that the two kinds of creatures do not do harm to domestic creatures and requested MONRE to remove the decision.

In early December 2011, after three months of fierce discussion, MONRE informed that it removed the decision to prohibit to import and export white leg shrimp and Pacific oyster.

With the decision, the while leg shrimp and Pacific oyster have “got out of the danger.” However, this shows that Vietnamese state agencies remain puzzled in exotic creature management.

Dr Mai Dinh Yen, Deputy Chair of the Vietnam Ecology Association, said that until now, Vietnam still has not conducted any detailed research work about if while leg shrimp or Pacific oyster would do harm to domestic creatures. However, there has been no scientific research work saying that the two kinds of creatures are harmful exotic species, except some foreign sources which say that while leg shrimp may cause Taura disease to domestic shrimp.

Anyway, the warning of MONRE about the danger the shrimp and the oyster can bring Taura disease is worth of thinking. In Thailand, some research works have pointed out that while leg shrimp, when developing into populations, would invade the habitable zone and scramble for food with domestic creatures of the same type. Taura disease, for example, has been infected by some kinds of Thai domestic shrimp.

As for Pacific oyster, according to MONRE, this species can affect the survival of many species of zooplankton and larger animals. Scientists say that MARD still decides to develop the area of white leg shrimp and oyster cultivation, even though there has been no official conclusion about the two species, should be seen as a venturous decision.

Exotic species management still loose

Scientists have pointed out that too many problems remain unsettled in managing exotic species.

Dr Pham Binh Quyen, General Secretary of nature and environment protection association in Vietnam, said that it is necessary for relevant ministries to sit down together to discuss reasonable policies to manage exotic species in Vietnam.

At present, MONRE and MARD are the two ministries take care of the works relating to the exotic species management. The latter has the right to decide whether to import species or not, while the management of creatures in Vietnam is being taken by MNONRE.

“Exotic species management is clearly a complicated issue, while the overlapping in the functions of ministries has made the issue even more complicated,” said Dr Mai Dinh Yen, adding that one ministry would be enough to manage exotic species.

Dr Do Huu Thu from the Vietnam Institute of Science and Technology said that African tulip has been warned in the world as a harmful exotic species, while this kind of plant has been existing for a long time in Vietnam. Meanwhile, the Circular No 22 of MONRE, dated July 1, 2011 still says that the plant has not appeared in Vietnam yet.

“This shows the big problems in the exotic species management in Vietnam,” Dr Thu said.

Dat Viet