At a meeting on May 13, provincial officials and Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Company discussed plans to establish an inter-agency task force to strengthen enforcement against illegal trapping activities.
According to local authorities, 51 rapid-response teams have already been formed across the province, but enforcement in some areas remains ineffective, allowing illegal hunting to continue.
Since the beginning of 2026, the company has recorded 52 illegal hunting cases and seized 119 trapping nets stretching more than 10 kilometres in total.
Hotspots were identified in Ninh Hoa Ward, Tan Dinh, Hoa Tri and Hoa Thang communes, as well as lagoon and open-field areas across the province.
Authorities warned that illegal hunting was threatening wild swiftlet populations, affecting bird’s nest production, local ecosystems and the national Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest brand.
Provincial leaders also ordered the establishment of a 24/7 hotline for public reports and asked restaurants and purchasing facilities to commit to not consuming wild swiftlets.
Officials are also studying proposals to place swiftlets on a protected species list to strengthen legal deterrence against violations.
