Vietnam's Wildlife Trade Policy Review project

1. Vietnam's Wildlife Trade Policy Review project

2. Vietnam’s WLT Policy Review project • The wildlife trade policy review was undertaken within 2007-2008 with a strong commitment of relevant GOs and NGOs • Actively participation of three ministries, CITES MA, SA and local NGO • Two consultative workshop were organized to gather feedback for review process and review report. • Four meetings of national steering committee were organized during the review • Four field trips to different wildlife trade hot pots to perceive information from wildlife collectors, trader and implementation agencies on WLT policy

3. Policy content • Vietnam has developed 50 policies and legislations on wildlife trade from 1963 up to present. • National Action Plan on strengthening the management of wildlife trade towards 2010 (2004) shows a strong commitment of Vietnam on wildlife trade management • Numbers of species have been protected and saved from overexploitation and illegal trade • Loopholes, inconsistency and ineffective were identified during the implementation of WLT policy • Weak connection of wildlife trade policy to other national development and poverty goals • Lack of a long-term vision for wildlife trade policy policy development and implementation

4. Policy Implementation • Inappropriate investment of fund and resources has slowed down the implementation and limit much effect on the illegal trade. • inadequate consultation between beneficiaries, policy maker and implementation agencies • Inappropriate alternative options for livelihood and wildlife trade • Weak monitoring and evaluation mechanism for WLT policy

5. Environmental impacts • The creation protected areas system has given good shelter to wildlife as an positive impact of the WLT policy • Listing procedure of protected species had stop overexploitation and trade on some endangered species. • Legal commercial captive bred and artificial propagation increase and someway reduces pressure on wild harvest. • Illegal trade and overexploitation were not effectively controlled - underground trade is still a problem • Inadequate attention between animal and plant trade. • Sustainable use and harvest mechanism was not paid adequate attention

6. Social impacts • Credit incentive to the legal operation was promote. • Up-listed and down-listed of protected wildlife has impacted to livelihood and income of local people. • Increase the produce cost and impact on income of the harvesting and trade community. • Lack of proper market orientation and strategy therefore WLT not yet shows as a sustainable business, • High investment therefore the trade has little interest from community, especially the poor • Unbalance sharing within the trade chain, most of the benefit from wildlife trade go to the middle man and top trader • Only a minor part of population has proper understand of WLT policy

7. Economic impacts • The flourish of captive bred and artificial propagated that bring significant income and works for some communities and areas. • WLT policy does not make a strong impact on demand and the price of wildlife - continuing underground trade • Lack of suitable mechanism on balancing the benefit sharing between the trade chain – do not facilitate legal harvest and trade • Protected species listing impact work and livelihood of some community – need an alternative mechanism for livelihood

8. Policy analysis and findings • The existence WLTP is an important framework for wildlife trade management and protection of the country. • Lack of proper preparation and consultation that make the some confusions and loopholes in the existing policy. • Overlap issues as a consequence of too many policy and legal document – one may not enough but too many make confusion • Ban and strict regulation actually drives trade underground - Balance of harvest, use and protection

9. Policy analysis and findings • Unbalance of attention on plant and animal. • Unclear criteria on listing of protected species and terms for endangered and protected species. • Inappropriate budget and resources have limit the implementation and effective of policy. • Lack of proper training and guidance of policy implementation • Lack of evaluation and monitoring mechanism of policy implementation and policy impacts.

10. Recommendations • Refine the current policy to cover identified loopholes and inconsistencies; • Recommend for a new WLT policy that all environmental, social and economic issues are equally considered; • Distinctive of illegal wildlife trade and the legality of wildlife use and livelihood. • Standardize the criteria term for species listing

11. Recommendations • Adequate budget to enhance implementation • Appropriate training; • Develop a standard protocol for wildlife confiscation and rescue • Regularly evaluate and monitor of policy implementation and impacts Develop a pilot project of community management of sustainable wildlife harvest and trade • Publishing the review report and social dynamic of wildlife trade

12. Feedback on framework • Comprehensive and useful for reviewing • Clear explanation and example • Good hypothesis question for each section • Easy to understand and use • Good to have an accompany training on method and procedure

13. Recommendation on framework • It is necessary to define indicator of impacts • Clear scope on the focusing of national or international wildlife trade regulation as they both parallel exist • Should focus on the assessment of some specific policy and its impacts and implementation • Should be revised as feedback from experience of four countries.