Order on Prohibition of Farming or Releasing Alien Aquatic Species Harmful to Local Aquatic Animals and Water Ecosystems

Article

Lao People's Democratic Republic
Peace, Independence, Democracy, Unity, Prosperity

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry No.... ./MAF
Vientiane Capital, Date. /.3..1117 223
Order
On Prohibition of Rearing or Releasing Alien Aquatic Animals that Affect Native Aquatic Animals and Aquatic Ecosystems

To: - Office, various departments and institutes under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry;
- Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Offices, Vientiane Capital nationwide.

- Pursuant to the Fisheries Law No. 03/NA, dated 09 July 2009;
- Pursuant to the Prime Minister's Decree on the Organization and Operation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry No. 603/PM, dated 15 October 2021;
- Pursuant to the letter of the Department of Livestock and Fisheries No. 4113/ກລປ, dated October 6, 2023;
- Pursuant to the research and proposal of the Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry dated October 10, 2023.

Aquaculture is an important task contributing to the food security and commercialization program, especially essential to the livelihoods of ethnic groups as a source of daily food and income. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has continuously promoted the farming and conservation of aquatic animals, including local species and improved breeds, thereby enabling our country to have increasing aquatic products for consumption over time.
However, in the past aquaculture of farmers, we still encounter problems, especially we still find aquaculturists introducing alien aquatic species for farming without permission, which has impacted native aquatic species and aquatic ecosystems, such as competing for space and food, spreading diseases, parasites, destroying native aquatic species, causing degradation of natural water bodies, leading to genetic changes, and affecting the development of existing aquaculture. Therefore, in order to prevent the impacts and damages caused by the increasing farming of alien aquatic species as mentioned above. The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry issues an order:
1. Instruct the Office, all departments, institutes under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, provincial Agriculture and Forestry Offices, and Vientiane Capital to disseminate and publicize to all state organizations, farmers, and entrepreneurs nationwide about alien aquatic species that affect native aquatic animals and aquatic ecosystems, aiming for all sectors to monitor, track, report, and prevent the farming of alien aquatic species specified in the table below:

Aquatic animal name Lao language Foreign language Aquatic animal image
No. Aquatic animal name Foreign language
Lao language
1 Walking catfish (Clarias batrachus)
2 Pirapitinga (Piaractus brachypomus)
3 Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
4 Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)
5 Arapaima (Arapaima gigas)
Suckerfish
Wi's catfish or zebra catfish
Elephantnose fish or West African elephantnose fish
Freshwater anglerfish
Piranha
All genetically modified fish
Chinese mitten crab
Freshwater pearl mussel

Assign the Department of Livestock and Fisheries as the lead agency, coordinating with the Provincial and Vientiane Capital Agriculture and Forestry Offices to strictly prohibit the import, release, and farming of aquatic animals specified in Article 1 into natural waters or various reservoirs;
Assign the international veterinary checkpoint to inform importers and relevant officials about the
It is prohibited to import the alien aquatic animals specified in Article 1 of this order into the Lao PDR; if violations are found, measures of detention, return, or destruction shall be taken strictly in accordance with regulations;

The Department of Livestock and Fisheries and the Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Offices, Vientiane Capital, shall strengthen monitoring and inspection of the farming of alien aquatic animals; if farming is found, the farmer shall apply for permission from the Department of Livestock and Fisheries in accordance with regulations;

In case people go fishing for aquatic animals, if they catch alien aquatic animals or find alien aquatic animals mixed into farms and farming places unintentionally, they shall be used for consumption or destroyed;
In case an organization or institution intends to study exotic aquatic animals, it shall apply for permission from the Department of Livestock and Fisheries, following the procedures and regulations stipulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry;
All relevant sectors, both central and local, shall urgently coordinate and cooperate with each other to
organize and implement this order effectively, and also conduct summary reports and draw
lessons from the implementation periodically.

This order is effective from the date of signature.

Minister