Hanoi (VNA) – A nationwide campaign targeting wildlife crimes and fisheries-related violations is yielding encouraging results, helping strengthen biodiversity conservation efforts in Vietnam and contributing to the gradual recovery of ecosystems in several localities.
Implemented under Plan 628, a joint initiative between the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the campaign marks a shift towards a more coordinated and long-term approach to protecting wildlife and natural resources.
Vietnam has witnessed a sharp decline in biodiversity over years as habitat loss, illegal hunting, and wildlife trafficking have increased. Wetlands, forests and farmlands that once supported thousands of bird species, including many listed as globally threatened, have come under growing pressure. Illegal wildlife consumption, fuelled by demand from specialty restaurants and the ornamental pet trade, has further complicated conservation efforts.
To address these challenges, the two ministries signed Plan 628 in October last year, launching a three-month nationwide enforcement and awareness campaign across all 34 provinces and centrally run cities. The initiative mobilised local authorities and commune-level police forces to crack down on wildlife crimes while monitoring illegal trading activities on social media, online forums and e-commerce platforms.
One of the campaign’s most significant breakthroughs was the dismantling of an inter-provincial wildlife trafficking ring. The operation, led by police in Nghe An province in coordination with specialised units under the Ministry of Public Security, uncovered a sophisticated network using Facebook, Zalo and Telegram to trade endangered species.
Authorities arrested on March 22 the alleged ringleader, Nguyen Van Chuong of Ninh Binh province, seizing 14 great hornbills, 16 otters, and 181 monkeys classified as protected species. Criminal proceedings have since been launched against the suspect for violations related to the protection of endangered and rare wildlife.
Beyond enforcement, competent forces intensified inspections at markets, restaurants, business establishments, and transportation routes while rolling out a nationwide communications campaign under the message: “No hunting – No consumption – Protect wildlife, migratory birds and fisheries resources.” The campaign sought to curb consumer demand, a critical driver of wildlife exploitation and trafficking.
The strengthened coordination among police, forest protection forces, fisheries surveillance agencies, and local authorities has improved operational efficiency, shortened case-processing times and reduced overlaps in enforcement responsibilities.
Official data shows that nearly 1,800 violations were detected and handled during the campaign's three-month implementation period. Since April 1 alone, police nationwide have investigated 444 cases, initiated criminal proceedings in 31 cases involving 47 suspects, and imposed administrative fines in 327 cases, totalling more than 1.6 billion VND (60,700 USD).
Besides, tougher enforcement of criminal provisions, which carry penalties of up to 1 billion VND or seven years in prison, has significantly strengthened deterrence compared with the administrative sanctions that were more commonly applied in the past.
The campaign has also coincided with encouraging signs of ecological recovery. At Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap province, six spot-billed pelicans, a species listed in the Red Data Book, were recorded for the first time in six years. Several other rare bird species have also returned to the park.
Similarly, a flock of around 300–400 Asian openbill storks has reappeared at Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park, while 74 birds from 12 species, including seven protected species, were successfully released into the wild at Tam Dao National Park.
Looking ahead, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Long, Deputy Minister of Public Security, has called on local police forces to tighten discipline and put an end to lax or perfunctory handling of wildlife and fisheries-related violations. For 2026, he urged local police to focus on detection and investigations into offences involving explosives, electric fishing devices, prohibited fishing gear, homemade firearms and equipment used for illegal wildlife hunting.
The results of Plan 628 suggest that stronger enforcement, coupled with public awareness campaigns and inter-agency cooperation, can play a meaningful role in reversing biodiversity decline and supporting the long-term recovery of Vietnam’s natural ecosystems./.
