Decision No. 485/QD-TTg Approving the Project "Protection of Rare Aquatic Species at Risk of Extinction until 2015, Vision to 2020"

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the Approval of the Project "Protection of Endangered Aquatic Species Facing Extinction by 2015, Vision to 2020"
quý hiếm có nguy cơ tuyệt chủng đến năm 2015, tầm nhìn đến năm 2020"
horizon until 2020"

______________________________

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Based on the Fisheries Law dated November 26, 2003;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,

Pursuant to …;

Article 1. Approves the Project "Protection of Endangered Aquatic Species Facing Extinction by 2015, Vision to 2020" with the following main contents:

I. VIEWPOINT:

- Protecting endangered aquatic species facing extinction in Vietnam is a regular and important task for relevant management agencies, scientific institutions, and the entire society to protect biodiversity, preserve Vietnam's unique biological resources, comply with international and regional regulations that Vietnam is a member of.

- Protection of endangered aquatic species must be based on updated scientific foundations and a system of state regulatory legal documents; it should also be carried out comprehensively from management, protection, development, and reasonable exploitation, closely linked to protecting aquatic ecosystems, restoring resources, contributing to sustainable fisheries development.

II. OBJECTIVES:

1. General Objective

Prevent the increase in threatened species, aiming to restore and develop endangered aquatic species unique to Vietnam with community participation, contributing to biodiversity conservation and sustainable fishing industry development.

2. Specific objectives

- Establish a database system including lists of endangered aquatic species, their biological and ecological characteristics, distribution areas, levels of endangerment, forms, and solutions for protecting these species in Vietnam;

- Set up and operate protected zones for endangered aquatic species in existing and planned inland water conservation areas in Vietnam to prevent their extinction and preserve genetic resources. Prioritize species with economic value, scientific significance, and high levels of endangerment;

- Enhance professional capacity for staff at central and local specialized management agencies, research institutions, and raise public awareness about protecting endangered aquatic species in Vietnam;

- Study and improve policies and regulatory legal documents for the protection of endangered aquatic species in Vietnam;

- Strengthen international cooperation in managing and protecting endangered aquatic species.

III. SCOPE OF THE PROJECT:

- In terms of space: implement comprehensive protection of endangered aquatic species across all water bodies in Vietnam.

- In terms of time: from 2008 to 2020:

IV. MAIN TASKS OF THE PROJECT:

1. Period 2008-2010:

- Establish databases of endangered aquatic species at different levels based on information from the National Aquatic Organism Data Center, and propose appropriate protection measures for each species;

- Draft regulatory legal documents guiding management, exploitation, conservation, gene preservation, prohibited exploitation zones, and prohibited species;

- Pilot establish protected zones for some endemic aquatic species such as: Môi Cờ fish, Nháy fish, Chiên fish, Anh Vũ fish, Rầm Xanh fish, Hỏa fish (middle and lower reaches of the Red River and Da River); Chình fish, especially Chình Hoa fish (lower reaches of the Ba River and Huong River); some fish species in the Mekong Delta (Ben Tre, Tra Vinh provinces); some migratory species in the Mekong River basin (An Giang province); some species in Ca Mau Peninsula and coastal mollusk breeding grounds in Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, and Thanh Hoa provinces;

- Establish a protected breeding area for turtles at Con Dao;

- Upgrade technical facilities for aquatic species gene conservation centers;

- Successfully restore, regenerate, and protect 20 critically endangered aquatic species (for artificial reproduction and release into natural water bodies and gene preservation);

- Improve the professional skills of staff in the aquatic resource protection system at all levels, enhance public awareness about protecting endangered aquatic species;

- Cooperate with countries in the region, particularly ASEAN and China, in implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES Convention).

2. From 2011-2015:

- Develop specific monitoring programs for each year regarding the changes in endangered aquatic species across all water bodies in Vietnam;

- Establish 15 protected zones for coastal, river mouth, and lagoon aquatic species managed by local authorities;

- Successfully protect 18 endangered aquatic species from high extinction risk, increasing the total number of protected species to 38 (50% of critically endangered species);

- Research and successfully breed an additional 10 endangered aquatic species to restore resources;

- Continue to implement educational activities and raise public awareness;

- Develop teaching content on protecting endangered aquatic species to be included in secondary school and university biology curricula with suitable formats for each level;

- Complete the legal framework consistent with regional and global integration processes for responsible fisheries management and cross-border trade control of endangered wildlife;

- Cooperate with countries within the same river and sea basins to protect migratory species.

3. From 2016-2020:

- Supplementally establish 22-30 protected zones for endangered aquatic species across national water bodies, forming a systematic conservation network according to planning;

- Perfect artificial breeding technology for endangered aquatic species to proactively supply seedlings for water bodies;

- Socialize the work of protecting and restoring endangered aquatic species.

V. SOME KEY SOLUTIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT:

1. On mechanisms and policies

- Develop mechanisms and policies for the protection, conservation, restoration, and development of endangered aquatic species facing extinction;

- Establish mechanisms and policies for分级调整管理、保护和恢复濒临灭绝的珍稀水生生物的制度和政策，供基层政府（县和乡级）和社区使用；

- Establish incentive mechanisms to encourage domestic and foreign organizations and individuals to establish technology transfer centers and scientific and technological advisory centers for the protection, recovery, and development of endangered rare aquatic species;

- Develop and implement the Strategy for the Protection and Development of Aquatic Resources from 2008 to 2020, primarily addressing the needs of fisheries development in reservoirs, rivers, tidal areas, and coastal regions; ensuring a harmonious balance between protecting fish species, reasonable exploitation, and actively restoring aquatic species according to requirements for sustainable development of the aquaculture industry, guaranteeing a long-term livelihood for fishermen;

2. On science and technology

- Implement research topics aimed at supplementing information on endangered rare aquatic species (biological characteristics, ecology, population dynamics, etc.), proposing appropriate conservation mechanisms and models;

- Focus on researching artificial breeding technologies for endangered rare aquatic species, including introducing advanced foreign technologies, to ensure a steady supply of pure strains for release back into natural water bodies;

- Improve and complete planning and technical standards for artificial breeding of endangered rare aquatic species, regulations on minimum sizes allowed for harvesting, monitoring mechanisms for restricted zones and time-limited restricted zones, production, business, and consumption activities involving endangered rare aquatic species;

- Concentrate on breakthrough research topics concerning genetic resource management, introduction, and restoration of endangered rare aquatic species;

3. On training and education

- Develop and implement strategies for training and enhancing the capabilities of fisheries resource protection staff at all levels to meet the demands of industry reform; raise community awareness about participating in fisheries resource protection through local and short-term training;

- Incorporate educational content and programs on fisheries resource protection and endangered rare aquatic species into teaching materials at various educational levels, with appropriate teaching methods and management mechanisms to improve training quality;

- Attract domestic training organizations, non-governmental organizations, and international projects to support training activities for resource managers, restocking personnel, and direct managers of inland and marine fishery reserves;

- Strengthen publicity and education to enhance community awareness through various forms:

+ Compile suitable materials for farmers, fishermen, students, helping them understand their roles and responsibilities in protecting endangered rare aquatic species;

+ Organize public awareness campaigns and education through mass media;

+ Train fishery inspectors, reserve staff, and fisheries resource protection personnel to become educators for these purposes;

4. International cooperation solutions

- Enhance international cooperation, particularly with neighboring countries (China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia) in the field of protecting migratory aquatic species, establishing transnational reserves, and other issues related to threatened aquatic species;

- Proactively cooperate with advanced countries, institutes, and schools in the region and worldwide in research, education, and training to quickly access advanced scientific and technological standards for aquaculture, restocking, exploitation, and protection of aquatic resources, developing human resources, and upgrading equipment for the industry;

- Fulfill international commitments related to the exploitation and protection of aquatic resources that Vietnam has joined, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to enhance Vietnam's position globally and regionally, and seek new sources of funding support like from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Clean Development Mechanism (CDM);

5. On investment

- The State allocates budget funds from the national treasury for tasks such as continuing to investigate and study endangered rare aquatic species, building protected areas, managing gene funds; researching introduction and domestication of pure strains, nurturing and restocking endangered species for release back into water bodies; constructing technical facilities for research institutions involved in protecting endangered aquatic species; organizing training and publicity to enhance awareness among conservation staff and people nationwide;

- Allocate budget investments for building inland fishery reserves, marine reserves, restocking areas, rescue centers for endangered rare aquatic species, and gene preservation centers for threatened aquatic species;

- The total investment from the state budget for the Project from 2008 to 2020 is 576 billion VND (attached detailed annex), of which:

+ From 2008 to 2010: 228 billion VND;

+ From 2011 to 2015: 223 billion VND;

+ From 2016 to 2020: 125 billion VND;

VI. IMPLEMENTATION

1. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is the lead agency responsible for coordinating with relevant ministries and provincial people's committees to implement the Project for the protection of endangered rare aquatic species;

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance are responsible for balancing and allocating state budget funds and international aid to ensure funding for the implementation of the Project;

3. Relevant ministries and agencies are responsible for implementing the contents of the Project related to their sectors;

4. Provincial people's committees are responsible for implementing the Project through the formulation and implementation of specific project plans; coordinating with central ministries, agencies, and international organizations to attract capital and technical assistance to achieve the best results.

Article 2. This Decision shall take effect from the date of signing.

Article 3. The Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government agencies, Chairpersons of provincial People's Committees under the direct control of the central government shall be responsible for implementing this Decision./.