MAE collaborates to protect wildlife and aquatic resources

On March 16, 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in coordination with the Ministry of Public Security, held a conference to review and implement several areas of cooperation between the two ministries in the protection of wildlife and aquatic resources.

The conference was co-chaired by Tran Duc Thang, Member of the Politburo and Minister of Agriculture and Environment; Trinh Viet Hung, Member of the Party Central Committee and Permanent Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment; and Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Long, Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Minister of Public Security.

Also attending the conference were Deputy Ministers of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh and Nguyen Quoc Tri; Major General Than Van Hai, Director of the Environmental Crime Prevention Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security; and representatives of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha, including Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Standing Member of the Council of Proof and Permanent Vice Chairman of the Executive Council, and Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Executive Council of the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha.

The conference was also attended by leaders and representatives from the Government Office, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of National Defense, the Supreme People’s Procuracy, the Supreme People’s Court, and many other relevant agencies. The event was organized in a hybrid format, combining in-person and online participation, connecting to 34 provinces and cities as well as key communes and wards involved in wildlife and aquatic resource protection.

Strengthening coordination in the protection of wildlife and aquatic resources

Speaking at the conference, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Long, Deputy Minister of Public Security, stated that the leaders of the Party and the State, as well as the Ministry of Public Security, consistently uphold the principle that economic development must be harmonized with nature and should not come at the expense of the environment for the sake of economic growth alone.

He also noted that the documents of the 14th National Party Congress identify environmental protection as being placed on an equal footing with socio-economic development and as one of the three pillars of sustainable development.

From this orientation, the protection of the ecological environment, forests, irrigation systems, aquatic resources, and biodiversity conservation is not merely about safeguarding birds and fish in the wild. It is also closely linked to ensuring environmental security, human security, and the survival of future generations.

In line with the Party’s directives, on October 17, 2025, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment signed Plan No. 628 on coordinated communication, enforcement, and handling of violations to prevent illegal activities related to wildlife protection and the conservation of aquatic resources.

After more than four months of implementation, with the participation of functional units from the two ministries and 34 localities, the coordinated efforts have initially created positive changes in public awareness regarding the protection of aquatic resources and wildlife.

Leaders of the two ministries highly appreciated the results achieved by their sectors and local authorities over the past period. However, some aspects of the plan have not yet met expectations.

Heading towards future directions, both ministries have reached a consensus to further tighten discipline and strictly handle violations to ensure a strong deterrent and cautionary effect. At the same time, they are committed to resolutely preventing biodiversity infringements while establishing a closer, more effective, and more extensive coordination mechanism between functional forces.

This conference focuses on a comprehensive assessment of over four months of implementing Plan 628, clarifying achieved results, unmet objectives, and the root causes of existing shortcomings and limitations. On this basis, the parties will propose more drastic directives for the next phase.

Hundreds of thousands of citizens reached by awareness campaigns

According to the conference report, after nearly three months of implementing Plan No. 628 between the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment on coordinated communication and law enforcement against violations related to wildlife and fisheries resources, collaboration between central and local forces has yielded significant positive results.

Hundreds of thousands of people have gained access to educational resources, while thousands of organizations and individuals have signed pledges to refrain from hunting and trading wildlife and from using prohibited fishing gear.

The implementation of the plan has powerfully amplified the message: "No Hunting - No Consumption - Protect Wildlife, Migratory Birds, and Fisheries Resources." This has progressively raised public awareness, promoted social responsibility for nature and biodiversity conservation, and helped prevent and reduce violations.

To implement the plan, direction and inspection activities have been carried out in a coordinated manner, with a comprehensive and timely system of guiding documents issued from the central to the local levels. The Environmental Crime Prevention Police Department has issued two documents to ministries and sectors, nine progress reports, three classified telegrams, and eight directives to localities to implement the plan.

The Viet Nam Forestry Administration advised on the issuance of 30 documents to ministries, sectors, and localities, while also proposing the development, revision, and supplementation of legal normative documents to improve the legal framework related to wildlife protection and aquatic resource conservation.

At the local level, 33 out of 34 provinces and cities have issued implementation plans, and 32 out of 34 have established inter-agency steering committees to ensure coordination among the police, forest rangers, and other relevant authorities.

Units under the two ministries have also regularly monitored, urged, and inspected the implementation process in localities, promptly compiling progress reports and addressing difficulties and obstacles. Through monitoring and evaluation, coordination among the functional forces has become increasingly close, contributing to improved effectiveness in preventing, detecting, and handling violations.

Nearly 1,800 violations detected

Alongside communication and awareness-raising efforts, functional forces have strengthened information gathering and identified hotspots of violations to proactively implement operational measures that support patrol, inspection, and enforcement activities.

The Environmental Crime Prevention Police Department has collected information on 912 organizations and individuals involved in wildlife conservation and captive breeding activities showing signs of violations. It has also reviewed 23 groups and forums on cyberspace suspected of advertising the sale of endangered and rare wildlife and aquatic species.

The Viet Nam Forestry Administration identified 31 hotspots and 211 individuals and facilities suspected of violations related to the illegal hunting, trading, transportation, and captive keeping of wildlife. Meanwhile, the Directorate of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance identified 10 localities at high risk of using prohibited fishing gear and eight localities at risk of using electric shocks and explosives in fishing activities, providing a basis for strengthening inspections and handling violations.

One of the key tasks emphasized by the authorities has been to intensify communication efforts and raise public awareness through diverse forms of outreach.

At the central level, functional agencies have coordinated with media organizations to produce and broadcast numerous reports and special features, while providing information for the publication of hundreds of news articles reflecting inspection activities, enforcement actions, and wildlife protection efforts.

In addition, 26,847 leaflets were printed and distributed; 35 conferences, workshops, and training sessions were organized; and 349 organizations, households, and individuals signed commitments not to trap or trade wildlife and not to use prohibited fishing gear.

At the local level, media agencies, television stations, and communication platforms produced 170 reports and 1,455 news articles, while organizing 6,062 communication campaigns with 298,708 participants. They also distributed 79,171 leaflets and information materials, and 4,782 organizations, households, and individuals signed commitments not to hunt or trade wildlife and not to use banned fishing gear.

As a result, public awareness of the value of biodiversity and wildlife has improved. Many individuals have voluntarily handed over wildlife to authorities for release back into their natural habitats. Based on the information collected and identified hotspots, police forces, forest rangers, fisheries surveillance units, and other relevant agencies in localities have conducted numerous patrols and inspections in key areas.

From October 17 to December 31, 2025, functional forces detected and handled 1,784 cases of legal violations related to wildlife protection and aquatic resource conservation.

Of these: Northern region: 579 cases (32.45%), mainly related to wildlife captivity, ornamental birds, and destructive fishing practices.

Central region: 706 cases (39.74%), mainly involving illegal hunting and trading of wildlife and the mass trapping of wild birds.

Southern and Central Highlands regions: 499 cases (27.97%), mainly involving the captivity and trade of South American iguanas, ornamental birds, and destructive fishing activities.

Several localities recorded positive results in implementing the plan, including Nghe An, Quang Ninh, Ca Mau, Hai Phong, Tuyen Quang, and Cao Bang.

5 Key coordination tasks for the coming period

In the coming time, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will continue to strengthen coordination with ministries, sectors, local authorities, and social organizations to enhance the effectiveness of protecting wildlife, migratory birds, and fisheries resources.

Key tasks include: continuing to promote dissemination and raising public awareness; diversifying communication methods; and intensifying cooperation with press agencies, television, and digital media platforms to amplify the message: “No Hunting - No Consumption - Protect Wildlife, Migratory Birds, and Fisheries Resources.”

Second, strengthen inspections, patrols, and strictly handle violations. Police, forest rangers, fisheries surveillance forces, and local authorities will organize peak inspection campaigns in high-risk areas and take firm action against illegal hunting, trading, transportation, and captive keeping of wildlife, as well as the use of prohibited fishing gear.

Third, enhance the effectiveness of inter-agency and inter-provincial coordination; strengthen information sharing and cooperation in investigating and handling complex cases, gradually forming specialized operations to combat organized wildlife trafficking networks.

Fourth, strengthen monitoring and enforcement in cyberspace; promote the application of technology to detect and handle acts of advertising and transporting endangered and rare wildlife and aquatic species on social media platforms and e-commerce sites.

Fifth, continue reviewing and improving mechanisms, policies, and the legal framework in order to enhance the effectiveness of state management and ensure stronger deterrence in handling violations.

Within the framework of the conference, the Environmental Crime Prevention Police Department (Ministry of Public Security) and the Department of Environment (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) signed a coordination plan on inspection and enforcement against environmental crimes and legal violations.

The C05 Department (Ministry of Public Security), the Viet Nam Forestry Administration (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), and the Viet Nam Buddhist Sangha also signed a coordination plan on communication and guidance for monks, nuns, and Buddhists to practice animal release in a proper manner and promote biodiversity conservation for the 2026-2028 period.