Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Company, a wholly state-owned enterprise, said it had detected over 340 cases of illegal net trapping and seized 762 nets with a combined length of 38.1 kilometres.
Hunting hotspots have been identified in several communes and wards, including Bac Ninh Hoa, Nam Ninh Hoa, Tan Dinh, Hoa Tri, Hoa Thang, Ninh Hoa and Nam Nha Trang.
Nguyen Thanh Hai, general director of the company, said many swiftlets and other wild birds had been found trapped and killed in nets, posing a broader threat to biodiversity.
Hunters have also used recorded calls to lure swiftlets before trapping them and plucking their feathers at the scene, indicating deliberate and highly destructive hunting practices, he said.
The illegal hunting is threatening wild swiftlet populations and ecosystems while also affecting Khanh Hoa's bird's nest industry and brand.
Provincial authorities have ordered urgent measures aimed at significantly reducing illegal swiftlet hunting by the end of 2026, preventing persistent hunting hotspots and maintaining a stable wild population.
Authorities and local administrations have been instructed to launch an intensive protection campaign for the 2026-2027 period and encourage residents to pledge not to illegally hunt, trade or consume swiftlets.
Residents are also being urged to report illegal hunting, trapping, trading, transportation and consumption. Provincial police have been tasked with cracking down on organised and repeat offenders and groups operating across multiple areas.
Khanh Hoa's coastal cliffs, islands, climate and natural food sources provide favourable conditions for swiftlets. The province is home to about 60 per cent of Vietnam's natural swiftlet caves, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
The Asia Book of Records has also recognised Khanh Hoa as having Asia's largest number of natural island swiftlet caves and the highest output of naturally harvested island bird's nests.
Khanh Hoa has 173 swiftlet caves across 33 islands and centuries of bird's nest harvesting experience. Between 2014 and 2026, 62,812 artificially incubated swiftlets were released into the wild.
Vietnam's exports of edible bird's nests and related products are estimated at USD 200-300 million annually, accounting for about 32-48 per cent of the country's livestock-product exports, according to the ministry.