Being fully aware that it is essential to modernize the offshore fishing fleet, which helps not only to retain stable production and ensure people’s life but also to hold firm national sea and island sovereignty, Quang Ngai is concentrating on the pilot proposal of modernizing its offshore fishing fleet.
Mr Le Viet Chu, Vice Chairman of Quang Ngai People’s Committee, said that there are now nearly 6,000 fishing ships, with 1,600 of over 90CV power, operating in the offshore region, especially in the region around Hoang Sa and Truong Sa. In 2012 – 2013, Quang Ngai province, in association with Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin), will newly build 22 steel-covered ships for fishermen in Binh Son, Tu Nghia, Duc Pho and Ly Son districts. They include 20 with high power (400 – 800CV) and 2 “mother ships” of 1,000CV, which provide logistics to buy fish and supply fuel to offshore fleets and crews. In 2014-2020, the province intends to annually build 100-150 new fishing and service ships to gradually modernize the provincial fleet. It is expected that by the end of this year or early next year, the first steel-covered ships will be finished in the Vinashin’s small scale shipbuilding factories such as Ben Thuy, Cam Ranh and Factory 76.TS.
To follow the agenda of modernizing the offshore fishing fleet, Ly Son Island district is selected to pilot the model of developing steel-covered fishing and service ships for fishing in offshore regions, which could be then extended to other localities. The pilot model is an important step in the agenda of fishing fleet modernization, strengthens the fishermen’s engagement and helps to hold firm the country’s island and sea sovereignty. On Ly Son Island district, 60 percent of the population earn their living from the sea, including nearly 3,000 direct labourers with annual aquaculture production value over VND 200 billion. The district has established the first fishing syndicate in the country with nearly 700 members (to which 267 new ones have been admitted). Ly Son Island district People’s Committee is considering marine economy and tourism the development spearhead. According to the proposal, in 2013, Ly Son will initiate the foundation of a marine protected area.
Despite annual increasing production, aquaculture exploitation in Ly Son does not see comprehensive and sustainable growth. Among nearly 416 fishing ships in the whole district with total power more than 39,743CV, there are only 120 which can go far and stay long at sea. Thus, modernizing the fishing fleet has become the urgent need as the “springboard” to make Ly Son the lead island for economic development and national defence.
The district is calling fleets in two communes of An Hai and An Vinh to join the pilot model of modernizing the offshore fishing fleet for improved fishing efficiency. In the short term, the members of An Hai fishing syndicate are mobilized to pioneer application of technological advances in fishing, modern equipment such as fish finder, locator, and ICOM – communication. Responding to the district’s mobilization, dozens of Ly Son fishermen have spent billions of VND to repair and improve their ships, buying modern equipment to boost fishing value and production.
Mr Tran Ngoc Nguyen, Chairman of Ly Son Island district People’s Committee, said that determining marine economy as the local spearhead, in the past time, Ly Son has created preferential conditions for fishermen to access and apply modern technological advances in fishing. At the same time, the district has also proposed to provincial and central authority to introduce policies and statutes so that fishermen have the chance to access preferential loans to build or improve their fleets for longer stays offshore. Besides, fishermen have been informed about the program assisting the construction of new iron-covered fishing ships under the Party and governmental policy to gradually modernize fishing fleets, in which the focus is on offshore ones.
The result of piloting to modernize the offshore fishing fleet in Ly Son Island district of Quang Ngai will be reviewed for experience to complete the proposal of modernizing offshore fishing fleet for extension in 28 coastal provinces and cities across the country.
Kien Cuong
Vietnamese
