Fishery Production in 2020 Continues to Maintain Growth (19-04-2021)

This is the statement made at the 2020 summary conference to introduce the proposal for 2021 to take place in Hanoi on 26 December 2020. Mr. Phung Duc Tien - the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, attended and chaired the conference.
Fishery Production in 2020 Continues to Maintain Growth

Total fishery output in 2020 has increased by 1.8%.

In 2020, exports were interrupted due to the prolonged effects of the Covid-19 pandamic. Severe and prolonged salty drought in the Mekong Delta makes it difficult for farmers to breed new crops, fish get sick and die. Enterprises restrict purchasing, making the amount of fish in stock is quite high. The consumption demand for seafood products of high economic value objects (cold water fish, lobster, snail ...) decreases, because these objects mainly serve the needs of export and consumption in the home.

The weather at sea at the end of the year is not favorable for exploitation when tropical depressions and storms occur continuously in the Central Coast. The European Commission continues to maintain a "yellow card" warning for Vietnam's exported seafood products.

However, the growth rate of seafood production in 2020 continues to maintain. The growth rate of seafood production value (constant prices in 2010) reached 3.05% compared to 2019. The total output reached 8.4 million tons, up 1.8% (of which, the catch achieved 3.85 million tons, up 2.1%, farming 4.56 million tons, up 1.5%). Export turnover is estimated at 8.4 billion USD.

Regarding aquaculture, in the first months of 2020, the implementation of brackish water shrimp production faces many difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic accompanied by saline intrusion in key farming areas, leading to brackish water shrimp production, especially black tiger shrimp, was reduced. By the last months of 2020, brackish water shrimp production has recovered when the disease situation is under control, the recovery of brackish water shrimp exports has helped the brackish shrimp production grow well leading the total output exceeded the set plan for 2020. By 2020, the total production of farmed shrimp will reach 950,000 tons. In which, tiger shrimp reached 267.7 thousand tons, up 1%; White leg shrimp 632.3 thousand tons, up 8.5% over the same period, other shrimp reached 50,000 tons.

For Tra fish, this industry started a downward trend from March 2019 to now after two (2) consecutive years of high growth. With the characteristics of Tra fish products as food-service, when the world applies the social isolation order due to Covid-19 pandemic, a series of shops and schools closed, especially when China announced the Corona virus was found on packaging of frozen products, Tra fish export turnover decreased significantly. Moreover, the saline intrusion which lasted from the beginning of the year to the end of May 2020, has reduced production efficiency due to the high rate of loss from seeding to commercial production. However, in the last months of 2020, when the disease situation is under control, the recovery of import markets and the efforts of businesses and fish farmers should export output and turnover of Tra fish has made positive changes. Tra fish production in 2020 is estimated at 1,560,000 tons (by 96.9% over the same period).

Producing breeds of Tra fish by 2020 in localities in the Mekong River Delta will be stable. The whole Mekong Delta region has about 120 establishments producing Tra fish seeds, nearly 4,000 ha are nursing Tra fish; produced about 2 billion Tra fish seed (equal to 100% compared to the same period in 2019); has replaced 60,000 thousand breeding fish, so the quality of Tra fish has been gradually improved.

Regarding fishing, in the first months of 2020, the weather is relatively favorable for fishing activities, fuel prices decrease compared to the end of 2019, so even though the price of fish decreases, the efficiency of fishing is achieved, people still actively stick to the sea for production in all sea areas to exploit seafood. In the last months of the year, due to the constant influence of tropical depressions and storms in the central sea, it has big impacts to fishing activities at sea. The number of fishing vessels must be anchored at the port at this time high, accounting for about 35-40% of the total number of fishing vessels in the highlands and high seas.

Direction and administration in 2020

In 2020, in order to produce safe, high efficiency for shrimp farming in 2020 and strengthen management of fishing activities, the Directorate of Fisheries has focused on directing the implementation of a number of key tasks such as: (1) Continuing to guide the implementation of the Fisheries Law 2017 and related documents; (2) Synthesizing comments, complete procedures to submit to the MARD to sign for promulgation of amendments and supplements to a number of articles of a number of circulars in the fisheries sector; (3) Advising many guidance documents in aquaculture, especially brackish water shrimp and tra fish farming; (4) Regularly monitoring the weather situation to promptly direct and help fishermen to exploit safely and effectively. Regarding activities to overcome IUU yellow card warnings for fishing, the Directorate of Fisheries (DoF) has directed and instructed localities to install cruise monitoring equipment. The DoF is organizing 24/24 duty, operating the system, monitoring and handling fishing vessels exceeding the permitted boundaries at sea. The fishing vessel loses the connection signal according to the specified procedures. DoF carried out an EC report on the implementation of the European Commission's recommendation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Additional information is provided as required by the DG-MARE side.

In the field of aquaculture, the Directorate of Fisheries has advised the MARD to promulgate many guiding documents and guidance to localities in order to maximize its potential and advantages and to produce safely, achieve high efficiency for the shrimp crop in 2020, promptly remove difficulties caused by drought, saline intrusion and Covid - 19 pandemic and implementing the task of developing brackish water shrimp farming in 2020. Conference on evaluation of results and discussion of solutions for registration of aquaculture in cages, major aquatic species in the Mekong Delta is advised to organize. DoF advised the Ministry to work with key provinces of shrimp farming in Soc Trang, Bac Lieu to assess market developments, promptly coordinate propaganda, combine recommendations to help shrimp farmers stabilize production. In order to remove difficulties for tra fish inventories, create motivation for farmers and businesses to continue to develop production, the DoF has cooperated with the Department of Processing to hold the event on Connecting production - consumption tra fish in the framework of weekly tra fish and other aquatic products in Hanoi 2020.

In the field of fishing, the DoF has instructed localities to implement the regulations related to the quota of fishing permits in high seas. Loccalities need to review and synthesize the number of permits for offshore fishing in localities issued on the national database (Vnfishbase), the number of fishing vessels of 15m or more in length, the number of modified fishing boats to advise leaders of the MARD to adjust quotas, supplement the inland provinces (expected to reduce 256 ships compared to the quota issued under Decision 1481/QD-BNN-TCTS). DoF monitor regularly and direct localities to strictly implement the Directive of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on strengthening the fishing management, ensuring people and fishing vessels operate on sea. DoF are guiding and directing localities to review and evaluate the efficiency and have solutions to restructure fishing fleets, to maintain and repair newly built fishing ships according to Decree 67/2014 / ND-CP. The Directorate of Fisheries is actively advising the amendment and supplement of Decree 67, dealing with difficulties and problems arising in the implementation process as well as to propose new policies, especially development support policies.

In the field of aquatic resources conservation and development, the Directorate of Fisheries directs the implementation of tasks and processes related to the project of investigating aquatic resources; project of investigating aquatic resources in inland areas in the period of 2018-2020. DoF Coordinates with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quang Ninh province to complete the dossier of establishing Co To - Tran island marine protected areas and submit it to competent authorities for approval. DoF continues to implement plans to protect endangered and rare aquatic species such as action plan to protect Vietnamese sea turtles and develop a national action plan to conserve sharks, rays and marine mammals. DoF is leading and coordinating with Con Dao National Park to organize the 5-year preliminary conference on implementation of the action plan for Vietnam Sea Turtle Conservation the year of 2016 - 2025. DoF coordinates with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of provinces and cities to organize the breeding ceremony to regenerate aquatic resources.

In 2021, the Directorate of Fisheries continues to implement the Fisheries Law 2017 and other guiding documents, following the orientation; implementing two (2) resolutions of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Resolution No. 944-NQ / BCSĐ dated October 22, 2018 on the implementation of Resolution No. 36-NQ / TW on the Sustainable development of Vietnam's marine economy to 2030, with a vision to 2045, Resolution No. 836-NQ / BCSĐ dated July 17, 2019 on increasing investment to improve the efficiency of fishing and promote farming on the sea contributes to the implementation of the Vietnam marine economic development strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045.

Directorate of Fisheries continues to effectively implement the Fisheries Law 2017, national action plan for development of Vietnam's shrimp industry until 2025, master project for the development of Vietnam's shrimp industry to 2030. DoF advises the MARD's leaders on solutions for solving difficulties and continuing to direct localities to register aquaculture in cages and main farming object, licensing for marine aquaculture. Marine aquaculture using advanced science and technology is needed to develop, thereby creating key products of high quality to meet the needs of domestic and international markets. Developing aquaculture for key species with high economic value in the direction of increasing value, forming a chain of links, preserving quality and serving deep processing need to focus.

Aiming for total seafood production of around 8.5 million tons by 2021

During the discussion at the 2020 Summary Conference, Mr. Nguyen Nhu Tiep - Director of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Quality Control emphasized that in 2020, despite many difficulties, the industry the fisheries are developing quite well. The proof is that no business goes bankrupt, on the contrary, many businesses are newly established. Opportunities of the fisheries industry are still very great, because of the advantages from markets, especially in the Chinese market when many species of seafood are allowed to be imported by this country.

Representative of Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam said that at the beginning of the year, seafood export faced many difficulties, however, in the last months of the year, the situation changed very positively, particularly in October, seafood export reached 900 million USD, the highest level in the months of at least 5 years. In the last two months of the year, Vietnamese seafood has no shortage of customers, but businesses have difficulty in transporting due to lack of containers and surging rates. This causes our seafood exports to decrease by about 200 million USD compared to expected. The Ministry of Industry and Trade forecasts that transportation difficulties could last until the end of June 2021, but we hope the situation will be cleared by the end of the first quarter.

General comments on the whole industry in 2020, Director General of the Directorate of Fisheries – Mr. Tran Dinh Luan emphasized that year of 2020 is a difficult year for the fisheries sector in all aspects, but we have obtained very favorable results. good growth momentum, high export value, especially when a series of agreements have come into effect, such as EVFTA, CPTPP, etc.

On the momentum of 2020, the fisheries sector aims to achieve a total output of about 8.5 million tons in 2021, equaling 101.1% of the estimate made in 2020. In which, the exploitation output is about 3.61 million tons, equaling 93.6%; farming output 4.9 million tons, equaling 107.4%. National products: Tra fish is 1.5 million tons, 980 thousand tons of brackish water shrimp (of which, black tiger shrimp 280 thousand tons, whiteleg shrimp 650 thousand tons, other shrimp 50 thousand tons). Export turnover is about 8.6 billion USD, equaling 102.6% compared to 2020.

In the conclusion of the conference, Deputy Minister Mr. Phung Duc Tien emphasized that the whole sector has achieved good results, but it is necessary to do better in all fields, with more close coordination among agencies and departments, branches and units. In particular, it is necessary to pay attention and increase investment in the fishery infrastructure system, well manage the fishing vessels operating at sea to promptly settle the yellow card of the European Commission.

Le Mai (theo tongcucthuysan.gov.vn)

 

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