Defined as the driving spearhead of local marine economic development, the fisheries sector of Ba Ria – Vung Tau province has made long strides in both quality and quantity, and gradually affirmed its position and role in local socioeconomic development.
Ba Ria – Vung Tau has a 305 km coastline, including 100 kilometres of mainland coast, an island district, a continental shelf area of 100,000 square kilometres, and an exclusive economic zone of 297,000 square kilometres. Especially, the province lies on a fishing ground endowed with rich resources, mild climate and infrequent strong winds – very favourable conditions for near-shore and offshore fishing. According to a recent survey by the Administration of Seas and Islands under the Provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the continental shelf of Ba Ria – Vung Tau province is home to 661 species of fish, 35 species of shrimp, 23 species of squid, and thousands of species of marine algae, including many highly valued species. The province can catch 150,000-170,000 tonnes. With this enormous potential, commercial fishing and aquaculture have become traditional marine economic sectors of the province, created jobs for thousands of workers and significantly contributed to the province’s exports (excluding oil and gas). Defining commercial fishing, aquaculture and seafood processing as a local spearhead economic sector, Ba Ria – Vung Tau has built three fortified fishing ports, three partially fortified fishing ports and six other fishing ports across the province. With a total quay length of 1,575 metres, fishing ports can handle 360,000 tonnes a year.
In seafood processing and exporting, the province currently has many hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP)-certified export processing factories. Most certified plants are qualified for exporting to demanding markets like Europe, the US, Japan, South Korea and Russia.
Being aware of its potentials and advantages, Ba Ria – Vung Tau province has placed particular emphasis on offshore fishing investment. Accordingly fishing techniques are increasingly improved and fishing boats and equipment have been upgraded. Currently, the province has about 6,000 fishing vessels with a total capacity of over 970,000 horsepower. In 2013, commercial fishing output reached 250,000 tonnes, an increase of 4.9 percent from a year earlier. Looking towards sustainable fisheries development, the province organised 12 training classes on legal regulations on fisheries and origin certification for 560 captains and fishermen, and formed 72 fishing teams with 419 boats. In 2013, aquaculture production harvested about 14,200 tonnes, up 5.7 percent. To support farming, professional bodies have organised training courses on aquatic disease prevention and legal regulations on aquaculture.
Le Tuan Quoc, director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that based existing potentials and advantages, Ba Ria – Vung Tau province sets a target of making the fisheries sector a key factor of the local marine economy, an important contributor to food security, and a big forex earner. This sector also creates jobs for local people and reduces poverty. To enhance the quality of fish farming, catching and processing and promote cooperation, technological innovation and market expansion, the province will organise training courses on marine resource protection; review littoral resources to guide fishermen to catch effectively, especially species of high economic value. To protect fishery resources, the province has encouraged fishermen to invest in offshore fishing boats, modern technologies, equipment, preserving and storing facilities to ensure hygiene and food safety; closely managed newly built vessels in a bid to reduce small near-shore fishing boats. In addition, fishery resource protection and regeneration is also an important task of the sector. The province will also establish fish farming zones coupled with forest planting, agricultural production, water resources and environmental protection. The province will also carry out fishing port logistics development plans, and build seafood processing facilities and fishing logistics services in order to support the sustainable development of fisheries sector.
With respect to seafood processing, the province is urgently accelerating necessary conditions to build the centralised seafood processing area in 2015 in order to house seafood processors relocated from populated areas and urban zones. The province will continue to encourage and facilitate seafood processing investment projects using modern, advanced technologies and equipment meeting HACCP and ISO 9000 standards. In addition to adjusting aquaculture development plans and developing key species, the locality will speed up artificial reproduction to meet increasing aquatic demands.
Thanh Tan
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