Directive No. 528-TTg On Prohibiting the Cultivation and Immediate Eradication of Golden Apple Snails

 DIRECTIVE

ON THE PROHIBITION OF RAISING AND IMMEDIATE ELIMINATION OF THE GOLDEN SNAIL

Since 1988, the golden snail has been introduced into Vietnam through various routes. This species has a rapid reproduction capability and causes damage to crops, particularly rice.

Considering the proposal of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and the report on inspection results from the Government Office, the Prime Minister instructs:

1\. To prohibit raising the golden snail under all scales and forms throughout the country. In provinces where the golden snail is currently present, especially Ben Tre, Long An, Kien Giang, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Vinh Long, where the golden snail is rapidly developing, active measures must be taken to eliminate it. Relevant levels and sectors must proactively organize the implementation of the elimination of the golden snail, preventing its spread, and complete the elimination of the golden snail nationwide by the end of 1994.

Any enterprise raising the golden snail that leads to its spread to other units shall be responsible for cleaning the environment and compensating for damages.

2\. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry must urgently propose specific measures regarding quarantine, procedures for preventing and controlling the golden snail, combining manual methods with chemical usage, strengthen guidance for localities to implement these measures; organize close cooperation with central and local mass media agencies to publicize and disseminate among the people the contents mentioned above.

3\. People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities must urgently report to the Prime Minister on the current situation and extent of damage caused by the golden snail, while immediately implementing preventive and control measures against the golden snail.

The People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the People's Committee of Kien Giang Province must review their responsibility for allowing the breeding of the golden snail on their territories, causing serious consequences; they must assess the extent of damage and assign responsibility for compensation for damages with units and individuals who have shortcomings in this matter.

4\. The Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment must cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry in handling the aftermath caused by the golden snail, while reviewing their responsibility for state management and the non-serious and incomplete implementation of the Prime Minister's Directive at Announcement No. 10-NN dated October 5, 1992, prohibiting the raising and importing of the golden snail.

5\. The Ministry of Fisheries must review their responsibility for introducing the golden snail variety to the North in 1990 and expanding it, and for not fully fulfilling their state management responsibilities in their assigned field and the non-serious and incomplete implementation of the Prime Minister's Directive mentioned above.

6\. The Ministry of Commerce must review their responsibility for permitting the importation of the golden snail variety.

7\. The State Committee for Cooperation and Investment must review their responsibility for not inspecting the operations of joint ventures raising the golden snail after issuing a "fish meal production" permit.

The review of responsibility of the aforementioned ministries and People's Committees must be conducted seriously and reports submitted before October 15, 1994./.