Decision No. 10/2006/QĐ-TTg Approving the Overall Plan for the Development of the Aquatic Products Industry to 2010 and Orientations to 2020

Pursuant to …;

Approving the Master Plan for the Development of the Aquatic Products Industry until 2010

and orientations until 2020

___________________________

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Considering the proposal of the Ministry of Fisheries at the report number 903/TTr-BTS dated April 26, 2005 and the report number 2814/TTr-BTS dated November 29, 2005, and the review opinion of the Ministry of Planning and Investment at the letter number 5319/BKH-TĐ&GSĐT dated August 9, 2005,

DECISION:

Article 1Approving the Master Plan for the Development of the Aquatic Products Industry until 2010 and orientations until 2020, with the main contents as follows:

I. DEVELOPMENT VIEWS

1. Developing the aquatic products industry into a large-scale production industry with high productivity, quality, and competitiveness, having diverse product structures to meet the increasing domestic consumption needs, while promoting exports, and continuing to maintain its position as an industry with high export turnover and significant GDP share among agricultural, forestry, and fisheries sectors in the coming years.

2. Rapidly and sustainably developing the aquatic products industry based on effectively exploiting and utilizing all potential resources of land, water surfaces, and labor, accelerating industrialization and modernization; quickly applying scientific and technological advances in production; continuing to transform the structure of production and business sectors, having a reasonable ratio between exploitation and cultivation, linking production with processing, consumption of products, and protection of ecological environments.

II. DIRECTIONS UNTIL 2020

1. Continuing to leverage advantages based on industrialization and modernization, developing concentrated production areas linked with the development of processing industries and fishing services, forming large fishing centers in some key coastal and southern delta regions.

2. Diversifying the structure of processed aquatic products, while developing the production of several key products with distinctive characteristics of Vietnamese aquatic products, having high value and competitiveness to dominate export markets and maintain high export turnover.

3. Along with rational distant sea fishing, stabilizing nearshore fishing, strongly developing aquaculture, diversifying breeding methods and structures, especially marine farming, to exploit remaining potential, solve employment for rural coastal laborers, ensure stable income, contribute significantly to protecting aquatic resources and maintaining sustainable coastal ecological environments, and serve as the main source of raw materials for exports.

III. OBJECTIVES UNTIL 2010

1. General Objective

Building the aquatic products industry into a large-scale production industry with high competitiveness, high export turnover, self-investment capability, making significant contributions to national economic and social development, particularly in coastal and island regions.

2. Specific objectives

a) Some growth targets during the period 2006-2010:

- Production volume increases at an average rate of 3.8% per year;

- Value of aquatic product export turnover increases at an average rate of 10.63% per year;

- Fishery labor force increases at an average rate of 3% per year.

b) Total aquatic product output by 2010 reaches 3.5 to 4 million tons. Of which:

- Cultivation output reaches 2 million tons;

- Marine catch output reaches 1.5 to 1.8 million tons;

- Inland catch output reaches 0.2 million tons.

c) Export turnover value in 2010 reaches 4 billion USD.

d) Fishery labor force in 2010 reaches 4.7 million people.

IV. MAIN TASKS

1. Marine Fishing

a) Marine catch output by 2010 maintains a level of 1.5 to 1.8 million tons (Northern Gulf 0.27 million tons, Central Sea region 0.37 million tons, Southeastern Sea region 0.71 million tons, Southwestern Sea region 0.2 million tons, mid-sea region, surface fish and international cooperative fishing 0.25 million tons).

b) The number of fishing vessels by 2010 maintains a level of 50,000 units, including:

- Number of vessels with engine power greater than 75 HP: 6,000 units;

- Number of vessels with engine power from 46 to 75 HP: 14,000 units;

- Number of vessels with engine power from 21 to 45 HP: 20,000 units;

- Number of vessels with engine power up to 20 HP: 10,000 units.

c) Fishing labor force remains stable at a level of 0.5 million people.

2. Aquaculture

a) Aquaculture output by 2010 reaches 2 million tons. Of which: freshwater aquaculture reaches 0.98 million tons, brackish water aquaculture reaches 1.02 million tons (marine aquaculture reaches 0.2 million tons).

b) Area for aquaculture development from 1.1 to 1.4 million hectares. Of which: freshwater aquaculture area from 0.5 to 0.6 million hectares, brackish water aquaculture area from 0.6 to 0.8 million hectares.

3. Processing and Exporting Aquatic Products

a) Upgrading infrastructure comprehensively, renewing technology, and equipment of existing aquatic product processing facilities and developing new ones to increase freezing capacity to 3,500 to 4,000 tons/day by 2010.

b) By 2010, all aquatic product processing facilities (industrial method) will meet industry standards for safety and hygiene conditions; striving to apply international quality management systems in enterprises with appropriate conditions.

c) Diversifying processed aquatic products, increasing the proportion of exported high-value-added and fresh products. By 2010, the output of processed aquatic products for export will reach 891,000 tons with export turnover reaching 4 billion USD.

4. Developing according to Economic-Ecological Regions

a) Red River Delta Region: focusing on developing aquaculture on various types of freshwater and brackish water surfaces, especially low-lying rice fields and bays, with major species such as: tilapia, shrimp, snakehead, catfish, grouper, green-lipped mussel, pearl oyster...; rapidly transforming occupational structures reasonably to effectively exploit important fishing grounds and common fishing areas under the Northern Gulf Fisheries Cooperation Agreement; upgrading existing processing plants; forming coastal fishing service centers.

b) North Central Coast and Central Coastal Region: concentrating investment in developing brackish water aquaculture, especially leveraging strengths in marine aquaculture, focusing on major species such as: shrimp, blood cockle, abalone, pearl oyster, snakehead, catfish, red snapper...; forming centralized breeding areas; strengthening investment to develop distant sea fishing; upgrading existing processing plants and developing additional plants; forming coastal fishing service centers.

c) Southeastern Region: develop freshwater pond aquaculture and marine aquaculture with main species such as tilapia, snakehead, trout, various types of shrimp...; reasonably invest in developing distant-water fishing fleets; upgrade existing processing plants; form coastal service centers for fisheries.

d) Mekong Delta Region: develop aquaculture on all types of water surfaces, especially shrimp farming, pangasius, basa, blood cockles, mussels, and some marine fish species; consolidate and upgrade existing distant-water fishing fleets; upgrade existing processing plants and develop additional ones; form coastal and inland service centers for fisheries in the delta region.

đ) Northern Midland and Mountainous Region and Central Highlands: develop freshwater aquaculture, particularly pond fish farming, promote VAC models with main species such as trout, green tiger prawns, common carp, grass carp... to meet local consumption needs.

V. SOME KEY SOLUTIONS

1. Policies for Mobilizing Capital and Encouraging Economic Components to Participate in Production Development.

- The State shall have policies to encourage economic components to invest capital and technology in production and business across all sectors of the industry; preferential loans for difficult areas such as coastal tidal flats, islands, northern midland and mountainous regions, and the Central Highlands; incentives for enterprises investing in infrastructure and fisheries services outside islands, aiming to attract investment capital to leverage the potential of localities, develop production and business, and fisheries services.

- Alongside providing loans to enterprises according to regulations, encourage commercial banks through appropriate forms to directly invest in building infrastructure for fisheries development according to planning.

- Continue to strengthen and complete production relations within the fisheries sector, following the direction of developing a multi-component economy: encourage the development of farm models, cooperatives, and cooperative groups in fishing, aquaculture, processing, and post-harvest services to concentrate capital, create large volumes of goods and services, enhance competitiveness; consolidate state-owned enterprises to maintain a leading role in service areas and new technology transfer; develop private capital in fisheries sectors; encourage the establishment of foreign-invested enterprises to attract high-tech capital and expand product sales markets.

2. Concentrated Investment in Building and Completing Fisheries Infrastructure.

- Focus investment capital on forming large-scale fisheries centers in coastal and southern plain areas with favorable geographical conditions where the majority of the population engages in fisheries; simultaneously develop concentrated fisheries clusters in coastal, plain, midland, and mountainous regions.

- Continue to invest in infrastructure, especially completing irrigation systems serving aquaculture, creating concentrated production areas to apply advanced technologies, produce large and stable quantities of goods, while protecting the ecological environment.

3. Continue Structural Adjustment Linked to Reorganizing Production.

- Regarding marine product exploitation: continue to rapidly adjust the structure of nearshore fishing towards stabilizing catch yields, protecting marine resources, transitioning from nearshore fishing to distant-water fishing, aquaculture, or services and tourism. Strictly manage new construction and licensing for fishing vessels to gradually reduce small nearshore fishing boats, while maintaining and consolidating large distant-water fishing vessels. Develop collective economic organization models in fishing, organize fishing teams by profession to effectively exploit resources and assist each other in production and product sales.

- Regarding cultivation: strongly develop aquaculture in all types of water bodies, focusing on marine aquaculture in nearshore areas, linked to community management models, forming collective economic organization forms to ensure employment for fishermen transitioning careers, while protecting marine resources. Form industrialized concentrated aquaculture zones with large product volumes, applying advanced technologies, increasing productivity, ensuring food safety, protecting the environment, and serving as primary raw material sources for exports.

- Regarding services and processing: form large-scale fisheries centers must be linked to establishing high-tech processing industrial parks to attract large volumes of raw aquatic materials, producing high-quality products, adding value to various products, gradually building brands for Vietnamese aquatic products.

4. On Trade and Market Development.

- Expand domestic market: through diversifying quality products with reasonable prices and suitable tastes, while focusing on expanding seafood product sales markets in northern midland and mountainous regions and the Central Highlands.

- Regarding export market development: leverage the advantage of being a maritime country, competitive advantages of each type of product to have distinctive products. Strengthen trade promotion, train capable personnel for trade work, enhance information and market forecasting capabilities... to maintain traditional markets, develop new markets, particularly focusing on Chinese, African, Arab, and South American markets.

- Localities, enterprises, and the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers actively organize marketing activities on various markets, both domestic and international, quickly build and promote brands; at the same time, implement strict measures to maintain and enhance brand reputation.

5. On Science and Technology, Fishing Promotion, and International Cooperation.

- Continue to promote scientific research and technology, while selecting and introducing advanced foreign technologies to create breakthroughs for rapid and effective development, and at the same time be suitable for the conditions of the fishing industry in Vietnam in areas such as breeding production, marine aquaculture technology; efficient distant-water fishing operations; high-value-added processing technology; post-harvest seafood preservation; marine resource research...

- Strengthen the training of scientific staff, especially leading scientific personnel, ensuring a team of highly qualified staff with sufficient capacity to absorb and engage in international cooperation in scientific research during the process of integration.

- Continue to develop fishing promotion models, expand successful models in production; implement policies to encourage both internal and external scientists to transfer research results into practical production, contributing to promoting productive efficiency, quality, and effectiveness.

- Take advantage of financial and technical support from international and regional organizations through specific programs and projects that align with the development goals of the fisheries sector, implement cooperation agreements effectively, and proactively integrate into the international economy. Localities should actively seek partners to attract foreign investment and technology to create resources for development. Actively seek and cooperate with foreign countries to export fishing labor and fishery cooperation across all fields.

6. Develop human resources

- Focus on training human resources for all sectors of the fisheries industry, building a team of highly qualified staff. Increase short-term training forms suitable for the level and customs of fishing labor, striving for all fishing workers to receive vocational training, capable of meeting requirements during industrialization, modernization, and export labor market demands.

- Continue to train and retrain to supplement and strengthen the management cadre, ensuring sufficient capacity to manage the industry during its development.

VI. IMPLEMENTATION

1. The Ministry of Fisheries shall be responsible

- Direct the construction and submission to competent authorities for approval of the planning for the development of fisheries in economic-ecological regions; take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and localities in constructing plans for the development of water conservancy systems serving aquaculture, to be submitted to competent authorities for approval.

- Construct and organize the implementation of key investment programs and projects.

- Organize the direction and guidance of localities in implementing the national fisheries development plan.

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, and related ministries and agencies

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance, based on the planning, investment programs and projects already approved by competent authorities, shall be responsible for allocating investment capital and ensuring financial policies to effectively implement the planning.

- Related ministries and agencies shall participate and create favorable conditions to promote fisheries development according to their functions and tasks.

3. People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities

- Review and supplement local fisheries development planning; guide counties, towns, cities under provinces in developing specific plans; organize the implementation of planning within the scope of the locality.

- Construct specific investment programs and projects and implement them; direct the construction and evaluation of effective production and business models, and disseminate them widely.

Article 2THIS DECISION SHALL TAKE EFFECT 15 DAYS AFTER ITS PUBLICATION IN THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE.

Article 3The Ministers, Heads of Ministries equivalent to Ministries, Heads of Government Agencies, Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities are responsible for enforcing this Decision./.