The Vietnamese importer of red-eared turtles has submitted its petition to Can Tho court, asking them to intervene and ask US company Oakland Ninja to take back or destroy their red-eared turtles.
The Can Tho Seacooking Import-Export JS Company has submitted its petition to Can Tho City court, asking them to intervene and ask US company Oakland Ninja to take back or destroy the red-eared turtles that they exported to Vietnam.

In April, the Can Tho Seafood Import-Export JS Company imported 40 tons of red-eared turtles from Oakland Ninja. The turtles are bred in Vinh Long for meat. As this species is dangerous to the environment, competent agencies asked the importer to re-export or destroy the turtles.

While waiting for a solution, over 9 tons of turtles died. It cost the importer and authorities a lot of time and effort to destroy the dead turtles and control living ones from escaping.

The Can Tho Seafood Import-Export JS Company has asked authorities to extend the deadline for dealing with the turtles because the US exporter didn’t take them back. It will also sue the American exporter in Can Tho city court.

The firm asked Oakland Ninja to take back or destroy the turtles under a contract signed on March 23. According to Can Tho court, it organized the first mediation, but the US company didn’t cooperate.

At the same time, some red-eared turtles laid eggs. Though the Can Tho Seafood Import-Export JS Company destroyed them, authorities worried that some eggs could escape in the water.

“If the General Department of Seafood permits the company to extend the deadline to deal with red-eared turtles to wait for the court’s verdict, it will be very difficult for Vinh Long to prevent turtles from escaping,” argud an official from Vinh Long Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

On September 9, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development asked Vinh Long province and Can Tho to instruct the turtle importer to destroy the remaining turtles before September 20.

Red-eared turtles have appeared in many provinces and cities in Vietnam as pets and also in the environment after they were set free by Buddhist followers.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment of the central province of Phu Yen on September 7 announced the discovery of at least 30 red-eared turtles in a lake inside a pagoda. Buddhist monks explained that these turtles had been set free by Buddhist followers.

In many cities, this species of turtle is sold at ornamental fish shops at the price of 30,000-40,000 dong ($1.5-2).

PV