Nha Trang mobilizes restaurant owner to release 21 conchs back into the sea

On May 10, the Nha Trang Bay Management Board coordinated with the Police Department for Investigation of Crimes on Corruption, Economy, Smuggling and Environment (PC03), Khanh Hoa Provincial Police, to persuade a restaurant owner in Tri Nguyen Island (Vinh Nguyen Ward, Nha Trang City) to release 21 rare and precious conchs into the sea.

Authorities propagate and work with restaurant owners.

Previously, the authorities discovered that the restaurant owner was keeping conchs in cages to serve tourists . After working with the authorities, the restaurant owner said he did not know that this was a species that was strictly prohibited from exploitation and voluntarily handed over the snails to be released into the wild. All 21 snails, with a total weight of about 21kg and a size of 20-30cm, were released into the coral reef area of Hon Mun strictly protected area (Nha Trang Bay).

Captive snails are brought up to be released back into the sea.

Conch is on the list of endangered and rare aquatic species.

The triton snail ( scientific name Charonia tritonis, also known as the queen snail) is a group I aquatic species in the endangered and rare list. According to regulations, the State strictly prohibits the exploitation of group I species, except for the purpose of conservation, scientific research or international cooperation.

The conch has a cream-colored shell with many brown veins and prominent spiral lines. It lives on the soft bottom of coral reefs at a depth of 20 - 30m. This species has high artistic value but is being overexploited in many places. In particular, the conch has an important biological role because its main food is crown-of-thorns starfish - a species that eats coral and seriously threatens the coral reef ecosystem. Protecting this species of snail plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance and preserving coral reefs in Nha Trang Bay, a marine area recognized as a national scenic spot.

THAI THINH

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/xa-hoi/202505/nha-trang-van-dong-chu-nha-hang-tha-21-ca-the-oc-tu-va-ve-bien-a956f49/