On the morning of December 13, in Hanoi, the Department of Fisheries (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) held a conference on "Implementing the plan to reduce exploitation, strengthen management of fishing vessels and promote aquaculture, creating livelihoods for people".

Speaking at the conference, Mr. Vu Duyen Hai, Deputy Director of the Department of Fisheries, said: The number of fishing vessels nationwide has decreased from 86,820 in 2020 to about 84,720 (an average decrease of 0.6%/year). According to the plan, by 2030, the whole country will have to reduce the number to 83,600 fishing vessels (Decision No. 389/QD-TTG dated May 9, 2024 approving the Plan for protection and exploitation of aquatic resources for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050).

To achieve this goal, the roadmap to reduce the number of fishing vessels and convert livelihoods for the fishing community has been approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 208/QD-TTg dated March 10, 2023 approving the project to convert a number of seafood exploitation occupations that affect resources and the ecological environment: By 2025, about 2,000 fishing vessels will be converted; In the period 2026-2030, 4,000 fishing vessels operating in coastal and offshore waters currently engaged in seafood exploitation will be converted to aquaculture, aquaculture services, recreational fishing, etc.

The goal is to develop marine aquaculture into a commodity production sector, creating a large volume of products for export processing and domestic consumption; encourage the development of industrial-scale aquaculture in open sea areas in the “Vietnam Fisheries Development Strategy to 2030, vision to 2045” (Decision No. 339/QD-TTg, dated March 11, 2021 of the Prime Minister), “Project on development of marine aquaculture to 2030, vision to 2045” in Decision No. 1664/QD-TTg dated October 4, 2021 with the goal of turning Vietnam into a marine aquaculture powerhouse in the region and the world, creating more jobs and new livelihoods, increasing income for people, ensuring social security, contributing to hunger eradication and poverty reduction and protecting the national security and defense of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.

The goal by 2030, our country's marine aquaculture will reach an output of 1.45 million tons, with an export turnover value of 1.8 - 2 billion USD.

Mr. Le Huu Toan, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Kien Giang province, said that the offshore fishing fleet of Kien Giang province is lacking about 192 vessels, while the number of coastal fishing vessels is about 200 more than planned. If the number of coastal fishing vessels is not resolved soon, it will affect the protection of aquatic resources because this sea area is the breeding ground of aquatic products. In order to reduce exploitation and increase aquaculture, it is necessary to have immediate policies and mechanisms to support fishermen to change their occupations in order to reduce the coastal fishing fleet and provide credit support for people to switch to investing in aquaculture.

Source: Quan Doi Nhan Dan Newspaper