Man faces $5,350 fine for illegally catching snails in southern Vietnam’s national park

Forest rangers at Con Dao National Park in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, southern Vietnam have proposed fining Pham Van Tan VND130 million (US$5,350) for catching sea snails in the park’s sea conservation area.

The rangers discovered the 35-year-old man, who temporarily lives in Con Dao District, over 100 kilometers from his hometown in Soc Trang Province, catching snails in the prohibited area by dawn on Friday.

He sailed his homemade raft to Giong Beach on Bay Canh Island, whose marine space is classified as an ecology restoration area.

As such, all fishing and hunting practices in the area are banned in line with the Law on Fisheries dated in 2017.

The rangers seized five kilograms of Nerita undata, a species of sea snails, caught by the man.

As per the prevailing regulations, his action is subject to a fine ranging from VND100 million ($4,120) to VND150 million ($6,178).

The rangers at the national park on Saturday wrote to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, proposing that it ask the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province chairman to impose a VND130-million fine on Tan.

In November 2018, the People’s Court of Con Dao District handed down a 10-month and 17-day jail term to Tan for his violations over endangered animal protection.

He was caught attempting to transport 17 endangered sea turtle eggs collected on Con Dao Island.

Over the past many years, the Con Dao National Park management has teamed up with relevant agencies to sanction several traffickers of rare and endangered animals.

Besides, the management has repeatedly called on residents and visitors to protect wild animals, but many have violated this.

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