Circular No. 03/2006/TT-BTS guiding the implementation of the overall planning for the development of the fisheries sector until 2010 and orientation until 2020

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Implementing the Comprehensive Plan for the Development of the Aquatic Resources Sector

until 2010 and Orientations until 2020

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Pursuant to Decree No. 43/2003/NĐ-CP dated May 2, 2003 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Aquatic Resources;

Pursuant to Decision No. 10/2006/QĐ-TTg dated January 11, 2006 of the Prime Minister approving the Comprehensive Plan for the Development of the Aquatic Resources Sector until 2010 and Orientations until 2020;

The Ministry of Aquatic Resources guides the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan for the Development of the Aquatic Resources Sector until 2010 and Orientations until 2020.

This technical regulation sets out technical requirements, testing methods, sampling procedures; management requirements; responsibilities of organizations and individuals producing, trading, and importing cigarettes.

1. Objective

These guidelines uniformly regulate aquatic resource activities nationwide according to the Comprehensive Plan for the Development of the Aquatic Resources Sector until 2010 and Orientations until 2020 (hereinafter referred to as the Comprehensive Plan), which has been approved by the Prime Minister, aiming to develop the aquatic resources sector into a large-scale commodity production industry with rapid growth, efficiency, and sustainability.

These guidelines serve as a basis for reviewing, adjusting, and building development plans for aquatic resources by region and locality throughout the country, as well as for activities within the aquatic resources sector.

2. SCOPE OF APPLICATION

These guidelines apply to the adjustment of planning projects, investment programs and projects, management and production and business activities within the aquatic resources sector, as well as other activities related to the development of aquatic resources until 2010 and Orientations until 2020.

3. Applicable Subjects

a) All provinces and centrally governed cities nationwide;

b) Management agencies, institutes, training institutions, and centers related to aquatic resource activities;

c) Enterprises, organizations, and individuals engaged in aquatic resource production and business activities.

II. TASKS AND SOLUTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE VIEWPOINTS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AQUATIC RESOURCES SECTOR UNTIL 2010 AND ORIENTATIONS UNTIL 2020

1. On Marine Fisheries

a) Provincial Fisheries Departments along the coast shall base on the Comprehensive Plan to review, adjust, and build local development plans for marine fisheries towards concentrating on shifting the structure of nearshore fishing to offshore fishing, aquaculture, or tourism services, thereby protecting, restoring, and developing nearshore aquatic resources. Advise provincial People's Committees to study and propose policies to support the transition from nearshore fishing to stabilize the lives of coastal communities.

b) Provincial Fisheries Departments along the coast shall cooperate with the Directorate of Fisheries Resource Exploitation and Protection to strictly manage shipbuilding, registration, inspection, issuance of fishing licenses, and the use of vessels down to the district and commune levels, aiming to quickly reduce the number of nearshore fishing vessels, maintain, and strengthen offshore fishing vessels. Guide investors to establish projects for financing the construction of offshore fishing vessels in accordance with current regulations. Advise provincial People's Committees to examine and approve new vessel construction projects aimed at developing large-capacity vessels, reasonable fishing methods, advanced fishing equipment and technology, ensuring safety equipment on board.

c) Provincial Fisheries Departments shall take the lead in advising provincial People's Committees to research and guide fishermen to develop cooperative models for offshore fishing operations, organizing effective fishing fleets and service teams: implementing the Agreement on Cooperation in Fisheries in the Gulf of Tonkin and compliance with common fishing zones.

d) The Institute of Marine Fisheries shall organize surveys, inspections, and studies of marine biological resources, focusing on surveying and forecasting marine fishery resources, which is considered a key task to serve efficient fishing operations.

đ) The Directorate of Fisheries Resource Exploitation and Protection shall cooperate with provincial Fisheries Departments along the coast to strictly manage fishing vessels. Cooperate with the Institute of Marine Fisheries and relevant units to effectively organize information and forecasting of marine fishery resources, guiding fishermen to implement efficient fishing methods and models linked to post-harvest preservation technology; while actively promoting and guiding coastal communities to protect, restore, and develop marine fishery resources.

e) Provincial Fisheries Departments along the coast shall organize the implementation of annual marine fishing plans, striving for the entire country to have a total of 50,000 fishing vessels by 2010, including no more than 6,000 vessels with engines over 75HP, no more than 14,000 vessels with engines between 46-75HP, and no more than 20,000 vessels with engines between 21-45HP; maintaining the national fishing yield at 1.5 to 1.8 million tons, with the Gulf of Tonkin around 0.27 million tons, the central sea region around 0.37 million tons, the southeastern sea region around 0.71 million tons, the southwestern sea region around 0.2 million tons, and the central-eastern sea region and international cooperation areas around 0.25 million tons.

2. On Aquaculture

a) Provincial Fisheries Departments and Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (in provinces and centrally governed cities) shall base on the Comprehensive Plan to organize reviews, adjustments, and the construction of local development plans for aquatic seed production and aquaculture in a concentrated commercial scale, emphasizing the planning of irrigation systems serving aquaculture. Organize guidance for units under their jurisdiction to implement good regional aquaculture industrial concentration plans and seed production regions; guide the application of advanced breeding technologies, diverse breeding objects with high productivity and quality; protect the ecological environment, ensure food safety regulations to develop aquaculture towards large-scale commercial production, serving exports and domestic consumption.

b) The Fisheries Departments of coastal provinces and cities shall strengthen their guidance and direction to economic entities and fishing laborers to transition to developing coastal aquaculture, focusing on cultivating mollusks and saltwater and brackish water specialties, with particular emphasis on marine farming.

c) The Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (with fisheries) in provinces within the Red River Delta, Mekong Delta, and northern midland and mountainous regions, Central Highlands shall guide households to utilize water resources to develop freshwater aquaculture, concentrating on key species to produce large quantities of aquatic products for export and domestic consumption, thereby improving local residents' livelihoods.

d) The Fisheries Departments and Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (with fisheries) in provinces and cities shall coordinate with the Aquaculture Production Department under the Ministry of Fisheries and the National Fisheries Extension Center to organize research and guidance on developing collective production models involving multiple economic sectors, community-based management models, and co-management models. They shall guide investors in project planning and advise provincial People's Committees on reviewing, assessing, and approving investment projects in the field of aquaculture and aquatic seed production, ensuring they are appropriate in scale and location, paying special attention to production organization models, production technology, irrigation systems serving aquaculture, environmental protection measures, and food safety standards.

đ) Research Institutes for Aquaculture shall enhance their organization of research and application of new technologies to serve seed production, aquaculture, and post-harvest preservation technologies. They shall study and propose policies to support the importation of seed production technologies, feed production technologies, and marine farming technologies.

e) The Fisheries Departments and Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (with fisheries) in provinces and cities shall organize the implementation of annual aquaculture development plans, striving to reach a national aquaculture production volume of 2 million tons by 2010, while maintaining an aquaculture area between 1.1 and 1.4 million hectares.

3. On processing and aquatic product trade services

a) The Fisheries Departments of provinces and cities, based on overall industry planning, shall organize the review, adjustment, and development of local aquaculture development plans concerning processing facilities, coordinating with the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers to guide investors in project planning for the construction of centralized processing facilities, focusing on upgrading infrastructure, modernizing technology and equipment, building high-tech seafood processing industrial zones that meet industry standards for hygiene and international standards, aiming to produce high-quality products in terms of appearance, design, variety, and competitiveness suitable for both domestic and export markets. They shall advise provincial People's Committees on reviewing, assessing, and approving investment projects for upgrading and constructing new processing facilities that are appropriate in scale, ensuring raw material supply, advanced processing technology, hygiene conditions, and market suitability.

b) The Fisheries Departments of provinces and cities shall direct and guide seafood processing enterprises to focus on processing products for export, increasing the proportion of fresh products in exports; coordinating with relevant authorities to quickly establish product brands and enterprise brands to enhance reputation in the market; cooperating with the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers to strengthen trade promotion activities, training staff capable of handling trade, organizing brand promotion, maintaining traditional markets, developing new markets, enhancing market information and forecasting both domestically and internationally; at the same time, guiding and directing the expansion of domestic markets towards diversified quality products with reasonable prices and suitable tastes, organizing good domestic sales service systems linked to tourism services; emphasizing the expansion of markets in the northern midland and mountainous regions and the Central Highlands.

c) The Bureau of Quality Control, Food Safety, and Aquatic Animal Health shall cooperate with the Fisheries Departments to strengthen guidance and inspection of processing facilities regarding quality and hygiene management, aiming to achieve 100% compliance with industry and international standards in processing facilities by 2010.

d) The Fisheries Departments and Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (with fisheries) in provinces and cities shall organize the implementation of annual plans for processing and exporting aquatic products, striving to reach a national aquatic product export value of 4 billion USD by 2010.

4. On investment in fishery infrastructure construction

a) The Fisheries Departments and Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (with fisheries) in provinces and cities, based on overall industry planning, shall organize reviews, adjustments, and the development of local aquaculture development plans concerning fishery infrastructure such as fishing ports, wharfs, fish markets, and anchorage areas for fishing vessels, aiming to form large-scale fishery centers and fishing clusters tied to key fishing grounds and concentrated aquaculture areas, while being appropriate in scale for each region and locality. They shall organize guidance for investors in project planning and advise provincial People's Committees on reviewing, assessing, and approving investment projects for the construction of fishery infrastructure such as fishing ports, wharfs, fish markets, and anchorage areas for fishing vessels, ensuring they comply with planning requirements for location and scale.

b) The Fisheries Departments of provinces and cities shall cooperate with the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development to develop planning for irrigation systems serving local aquaculture. They shall advise provincial People's Committees on reviewing, assessing, and approving investment projects for the construction of irrigation systems serving aquaculture, ensuring they comply with planning requirements and guarantee sustainable aquaculture development.

5. On science and technology, extension services, and international cooperation

a) Research institutes under the Ministry of Fisheries shall concentrate on researching and applying scientific and technological advancements to aquaculture production and business operations to achieve high productivity, produce large quantities of goods, diversify product structures, ensure high quality, reasonable prices, sufficient competitiveness in global markets, while also meeting domestic consumption markets. They shall research and advise on selecting and proposing the introduction of advanced technologies from other countries to create breakthroughs, rapidly and effectively develop various fields of aquaculture production. Emphasis should be placed on developing biotechnology and post-harvest technology, as well as economic and social studies, service provision, and building models for aquaculture production.

b) The National Fisheries Extension Center shall cooperate with relevant units and localities to expand fisheries extension activities across all fields nationwide. They shall study, promote, and guide the establishment of good management and production models in fishing and aquaculture, organize the effective transfer of scientific research results into production.

c) The International Cooperation Department shall advise the Ministry of Fisheries on expanding international cooperation with multilateral and bilateral organizations to secure foreign investment capital and advanced technology for the development of various fields in aquaculture. They shall lead the implementation of international cooperation agreements related to fisheries and fishery management.

d) Provincial Fisheries Departments and Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (with fisheries) shall proactively advise provincial People's Committees on seeking foreign partners to attract investment capital and technology to create resources for local aquaculture development, while addressing labor export and fishery cooperation in various fields.

6. Human Resource Development

a) The Cadre and Civil Servant Organization Department under the Ministry of Fisheries shall take the lead in coordinating with localities and units within and outside the fisheries sector to review the current status of human resources, advise on the development of strategies and plans for human resource development for the entire industry, and propose restructuring training functions of schools and institutes under the Ministry of Fisheries.

b) Institutes and schools under the Ministry of Fisheries shall actively plan technical staff training programs that match the professional requirements of production and business activities at each stage, focusing on training highly specialized personnel, implementing training methods suitable for fishery workers according to specific conditions and circumstances of each region and locality, ensuring that all fishery workers receive training to meet industrialization, modernization processes, and labor export market demands.

c) Provincial Fisheries Departments and Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (with fisheries) shall coordinate with the Cadre and Civil Servant Organization Department under the Ministry of Fisheries to organize the consolidation and training of management cadres in the industry, arranging and reorganizing management cadres who meet the necessary qualifications and capabilities, ensuring management of the fisheries sector from central to grassroots levels, meeting the development process of the industry towards gradually standardizing cadres and management according to standards.

III. IMPLEMENTATION

- The Planning and Finance Department, the Institute of Economics and Fisheries Planning, and functional units under the Ministry of Fisheries shall coordinate with Provincial Fisheries Departments and Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (with fisheries) to review and adjust the development planning of fisheries in localities; advise the Minister of Fisheries to organize reviews, adjustments, construction, and submission for approval of the Minister of Fisheries on the development planning of specialized fields in fisheries; advise the Minister of Fisheries to construct and submit for approval by the Prime Minister on the development planning of fisheries in territorial regions, key economic zones, and specialized fields in fisheries according to the Prime Minister's directives, ensuring consistency with the overall industry perspective, goals, and tasks.

- The Planning and Finance Department under the Ministry of Fisheries shall organize guidance for project investors to establish planning projects, programs, and key construction investment projects for the development of the fisheries sector; advise the Minister of Fisheries to examine, appraise, and approve planning projects, programs, and key construction investment projects of the sector, ensuring compliance with the overall industry planning regarding objectives, scale, location, and consistency with the development planning of fisheries in localities; advise the Minister of Fisheries to organize monitoring and inspection of the implementation of the overall industry planning throughout the country.

- The People's Committee of provinces and centrally-administered cities shall direct Provincial Fisheries Departments and Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (with fisheries) to coordinate with functional units of the Ministry of Fisheries to proactively advise the People's Committee of provinces and centrally-administered cities to review, adjust, construct, and submit for approval by the People's Committee of the province on the development planning of fisheries in the locality consistent with the overall industry planning; advise the People's Committee of provinces and centrally-administered cities to organize guidance, monitoring, and inspection of the implementation of the overall industry planning within their respective administrative areas. Quarterly and annually, they shall compile and prepare reports on the implementation of the overall industry planning, the progress of investment construction projects, and the operation of aquaculture production and business activities of localities to be submitted to the Ministry of Fisheries before the 20th day of the last month of each quarter.

- The People's Committee of provinces and centrally-administered cities shall direct enterprises, organizations, and individuals engaged in aquaculture production and business operations within their jurisdictions to coordinate with Provincial Fisheries Departments and Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development to receive guidance on the overall industry planning content, serving as a basis for organizing production and business plans in accordance with the perspective, goals of the overall industry planning. They shall direct enterprises to prepare and submit monthly reports on the results of aquaculture production and business operations to Provincial Fisheries Departments before the 15th day of each month for compilation and reporting to the Ministry of Fisheries.

- Units, General Corporations, and enterprises under the Ministry of Fisheries, according to their functions and responsibilities, must ensure that their activities related to aquaculture comply with the overall industry planning and this Circular.

- During the implementation process, if any difficulties or new issues arise, relevant functional units, Departments of Fisheries, Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development of provinces and cities shall promptly compile and report to the Ministry of Fisheries for coordination in examination, adjustment, and supplementation as appropriate.

- This Circular takes effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.