A farmer presents dried wingless cockroaches produced by his farm in the northern province of Bac Ninh. Invasive alien species may pose serious threats to native plants and animals. (Photo: laodong.com.vn)Director of the Institute for AgriculturalEnvironment Mai Van Trinh said 25 invasive alien species have been reported inVietnam, including four microorganism species, five invertebrate animalspecies, six fish species, two amphibian and reptile species, one bird speciesand seven plant species.
Meanwhile, 15 alien species with risks ofinvasion have also appeared in the country such as Procambarus clarkii andPiaractus brachypomus.
He noted invasive alien species with highadaptability often occupy the habitat or harm local creatures, leading to anecological imbalance. The invasion of alien species may influence the growth ofother species and even cause creatures to go extinct.
Invasive alien species can enter a newenvironment by natural channels such as following wind, water current ormigratory animals, but mostly by human activities. With the development oftransport and trade activities, humans have unintentionally or intentionallycarried invasive alien species, he said.
Trinh added that many species have been broughtto the country for economic, scientific or entertainment purposes. However,they have caused serious impacts due to lax control.
To control invasive alien species and those withrisks of invasion, state agencies have issued regulations stipulatingpunishments for releasing and farming invasive alien species, including aGovernment decree last November.
Trinh said Vietnam should take appropriatemeasures to manage and prevent the species based on the characteristics of eachalien species and local natural and socio-economic conditions.
He suggested agencies refer to the world’scommon principles of managing invasive alien species which include six steps:specifying the appearance area and characteristics of the species and their possibleimpacts on the environment; devising suitable management and environmentalrecovery measures; making programmes and plans to carry out the managementmeasures; supervising management activities; supervising the measures’outcomes; and reviewing the implemented plans.
Authorised bodies need to devise measures tocontrol the entrance of those species if they are imported to produce food, aspets or to increase biodiversity. The agencies must foresee the creatures’possible impacts on Vietnam’s environment before licensing the import.
Trinh also underscored the necessity to step upcommunications to raise public awareness of the risks of invasive alienspecies.-VNA
VNA
