It is critical to harmonize the three pillars of the fisheries industry

MARD Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien proposed the concept at a January 1 working session with Phu Yen province, in response to the European Commission's recommendations on fighting illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU) and implementing livestock production and animal health activities.

Combating IUU exploitation with vigour

According to the Phu Yen Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the province has increased its anti-IUU enforcement significantly in recent years. In 2021, the province had no fishing boats being captured abroad. 

The rate of marking fishing vessels in the region has reached 95.59 percent for those 15 meters in length; and 100 percent of fishing vessels have been updated in terms of registration, issuance of fishing licenses, and integration into the national database system for centralized operation, comparison, inspection, and management.

However, in 2021, the inspection system detected 13 fishing boats breaching the allowed limit at sea, and they were requested to return and punished when they came offshore. Additionally, the province addressed two cases involving administrative infractions in the fisheries sector. A punishment of VND 7 million was levied in the first case, while a fine of VND 100 million was levied in the second case for changing fishing boats without written clearance from competent authorities. Additionally, the authorities monitored and supervised fisheries at fishing ports, prosecuting three instances totaling more than VND 30 million.

In 2021, when it comes to livestock production, In Phu Yen province, epidemics of foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin killed over 5,000 buffaloes and cows, resulting in over 260 fatalities. Around 60.5 hectares of brackish water cultured shrimp were ill, over 8,400 lobsters and around 1,200 kg of farmed marine fish perished as a result of the environment.

Phu Yen approved the province's livestock development strategy from 2021 to 2030, with a vision to 2045, and the action plan for implementing the agriculture sector's restructuring in the areas of livestock production and animal health from 2021 to 2025, with a focus on 2030.

Phu Yen encourages companies and individuals to participate in animal husbandry by recruiting firms to create joint venture production, connecting people from production to product consumption, and establishing linkage networks. in animal husbandry; produce livestock industry-specific agricultural goods...

Three-backbone synchronization

During the working session, MARD Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien commended Phu Yen on its efforts to maintain a reasonable growth rate despite the obstacles caused by Covid-19.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien directed Phu Yen to respond to market demands by increasing the value of an agricultural area unit. The creation of goods must be oriented around the needs of customers in local and international markets, rather than around what they currently have, with a particular emphasis on marketing items with clear origin traceability and assuring food safety.

For livestock, the province must update and implement new scientific and technological improvements in production, particularly in cow breeding, to the benefit of local producers. The Deputy Minister emphasized, however, that even in agriculture and animal husbandry, it is vital to follow the chain and develop a long-term plan for each product. The Phu Yen Department of Agriculture and Rural Development must advise the province on this matter.

Concerning the fisheries sector, the Deputy Minister said that the Law on Fisheries was enacted, as was Decision 339 on the plan for expanding Vietnam's fisheries to 2030, with a vision to 2045 based on three pillars: conservation, exploitation, and farming. As a result, Phu Yen province must apply these three pillars in harmony. And agriculture, exploitation, and tourism all play a significant role in the marine economy.

We have a lot of potential for marine farming, the Deputy Minister stressed, with a 3,260-kilometer coastline, a 1 million-kilometer breadth, and several deep-sea regions... Nam Du, Hon Nghe, and Khanh Hoa now have a variety of aquaculture locations. As a result, the province's concentration should be on marine farming. Additionally, a plan for reducing fishing intensity is important for sustainable development...

At the meeting, members of the delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development highlighted a number of benefits, as well as unresolved issues and constraints that must be overcome in order to implement the European Commission's proposal on fighting IUU fishing in Phu Yen. Simultaneously, delegates made many recommendations to ensure Phu Yen's rapid defeat in accordance with the EC's advice. Concerning the livestock plan, the delegation also recommended that Phu Yen continue to invest and execute the strategy in accordance with the local conditions and continue to prioritize veterinary work...