The Norwegian government has sponsored a workshop organized by Vietnamese Ministry of Fisheries on October 15-17 in Hanoi. The workshop was aimed at discussing ways to improve the state’s management of aquaculture industry in the coming years.
Vietnam’s English-language newspaper Viet Nam News reported that environmental protection, statistical analysis and product quality have been identified by fisheries officials as their main areas of focus in boosting productivity and export value in the sector.
The workshop agenda included items on protecting domestic waters and marine preservation areas, as well as establishing a fund for seafood.
“Setting up a fund for seafood will ease the development of scientific research projects,” Viet Nam News quoted Arne Wage, a Norwegian fisheries official, as saying.
Other Norwegian officials presented reports on the rights and responsibilities of nations located in coastal areas, and stressed the need to set up an aquaculture data bank.
Participants also discussed the progress of the Aquatic Products Law, which has been in the works for the last four years and is expected to be approved at the National Assembly in November.
“It will create a new legal framework for the management of the fisheries sector,” Deputy Fisheries Minister Nguyen Hong Minh said.
Officials said the current fisheries output failed to meet demand.
The value of Vietnam’s seafood exports grew from USD1.8 million in 2001 to more than USD2 billion in 2002. The exports are expected to reach USD2.3 billion this year.
