The event aimed to review thefive-year implementation of the Prime Minister’s Decision 742/QD-TTgapproving plans for Vietnam’s marine conservation sites through 2020 andbeyond.
Over the past five years, the Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development has coordinated with relevantministries, departments and provincial People’s Committees to makedetailed plans for eight of 16 marine conservation sites, of which ConCo, Cu Lao Cham, Nha Trang Bay, Hon Cau and Phu Quoc have gone intooperation and shown initial success.
Meanwhile,three other sites – Cat Ba, Nui Chua, and Con Dao – are under effectivemanagement. The Bach Long Vi site, in particular, was established in2013.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment Vu Van Tam said the seafood sector plays a crucial role inthe national economy and workers in coastal, sea and island areas.
The sector is facing a number of difficulties and challenges such asaquatic resource reductions and the degradation of marine ecology, henoted.
Domestic and foreign managers and scientists discussed sustainable fishing management in marine conservation sites.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is responsible formanaging marine conservation and forest sites (according to the Law onForest Protection and Development and the Law on Seafood).
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment isaccountable for supervising submerged land conservation sites (inaccordance with the Law on Biodiversity).
Theconference formed part of activities within the framework of theMemorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation between theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the VietnamDirectorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment.
The MoU is to boost bilateralcoordination in preserving global rare and valuable seafood and coastal,maritime ecological systems; evaluating the management efficacy ofVietnam’s marine conservation sites; completing legal frameworks for theFund for Aquatic Resources Reproduction (VIFARR); and creatingsustainable financial mechanisms for preserving and developing aquaticresources.-VNA