Decision No. 131/2004/QD-TTg approves the Program on Protection and Development of Aquatic Resources until 2010.

Pursuant to …;

Approves the Program for Protecting and Developing Aquatic Resources until 2010

Program for Protecting and Developing Aquatic Resources until 2010

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PRIME MINISTER

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

Pursuant to the Fisheries Law dated November 26, 2003,

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 Fisheries,

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Fisheries,

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the Program for Protecting and Developing Aquatic Resources until 2010 with the main contents as follows:

I. OBJECTIVES:

- Protecting and conserving aquatic biodiversity, especially valuable and rare aquatic species with scientific and economic value; preserving the diversity and uniqueness of Vietnam's aquatic ecosystems for the present and future.

- Restoring aquatic resources in coastal waters, rivers, reservoirs, and wetlands to promote sustainable aquaculture development.

- Enhancing awareness of the importance and value of natural resources and biodiversity, while clearly defining the role and responsibility of fishermen in protecting aquatic resources.

- Strengthening state management capacity regarding the protection and development of aquatic resources by relevant agencies and local authorities at all levels.

II. GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

- Protection and development of aquatic resources must balance economic development with resource conservation and environmental protection, harmonizing interests among industries and regions, while focusing on key areas.

- Protection and development of aquatic resources must be combined with enhanced control over the exploitation of natural aquatic resources and environmental monitoring to ensure ecological balance in water bodies.

- Protecting aquatic resources is an urgent and long-term requirement, a societal responsibility, particularly that of fishing communities, which is crucial. Therefore, socialized policies must be effectively implemented to protect and develop aquatic resources.

III. CONTENT OF THE PROGRAM:

1. Restoration, regeneration, and development of aquatic resources

Combining strict regulation of exploitation with artificial breeding and releasing of seedlings into natural environments to improve living conditions for aquatic species, thereby restoring their reproductive capacity, increasing population density of depleted species, restoring ecological balance, and stabilizing biological communities in water bodies. Priority restoration targets during this phase include:

- Marine shrimp resources, focusing on species from the Penaeidae family, particularly whiteleg shrimp and spiny lobster.

- Bivalve mollusc resources (clams, mussels, pearl oysters, etc.) in the South Central and East-West Southern coastal areas.

- Small pelagic fish resources (anchovies, sardines, mackerel, etc.) in coastal waters from Thanh Hoa to Kien Giang and around some offshore islands.

- Freshwater fish resources, initially in large rivers, reservoirs, and flood-prone areas in the Mekong Delta provinces and certain wetland areas in the Red River Delta.

2. Protection and conservation of aquatic biodiversity

Focusing on the following priority activities:

- Controlling the exploitation of valuable and rare aquatic species with high scientific and economic value that are at risk of extinction.

- Promoting in-situ conservation through establishing marine protected areas, inland protected areas, and peripheral conservation efforts.

- Restoring habitats and living environments for aquatic species, particularly spawning grounds, nurseries, and habitats of rare and valuable species. Reconstructing coral reef ecosystems, seagrass beds, brackish water lakes, and river mouths, and releasing artificial reefs to create habitats for aquatic species in selected areas.

- Monitoring aquatic biodiversity including environmental monitoring, ecosystem dynamics, water quality; monitoring indicator species; annual reports on fisheries changes and aquatic resources.

- Assessing the impact of fertilizer, pesticide, veterinary drug, and water treatment chemical usage on aquatic life in natural environments. Establishing safety standards for the use of pesticides, water treatment chemicals, fertilizers, and industrial chemicals in natural aquatic environments.

3. Organizing management of coastal aquatic resource exploitation

Focusing on the following activities:

- Adjusting the structure of natural aquatic resource exploitation industries to match allowable exploitation capacities. Strictly controlling destructive exploitation methods, not developing and gradually reducing unselective exploitation practices targeting juvenile species, promoting alternative industries to restore and develop coastal natural aquatic resource exploitation, stabilizing fishermen's livelihoods, and reducing pressure on coastal aquatic resources.

- Establishing a system for forecasting fishing grounds and guiding fishing operations, primarily in key fishing grounds where fishing vessels concentrate.

- Strengthening the capacity of organizations protecting aquatic resources to monitor fishing activities, particularly in key sea areas (the Gulf of Tonkin, the East and South-Western seas), restricted areas, and spawning grounds with high concentrations of juvenile species.

- Establishing appropriate coastal sea management models that align with local fishing community traditions. Simultaneously enhancing the role of fishing communities in managing and protecting aquatic resources and their living environments.

4. Building a database system for aquatic resources

Establishing an aquatic organism information database to meet management needs, investment options, etc., including:

- Establishing a National Data Center for Aquatic Organisms to manage and store data on aquatic biodiversity, species distribution, physiological characteristics of aquatic species, typical ecosystems, and living environments of aquatic organisms linked to mapping and geographic information systems (GIS).

- Establishing 1 or 2 The museum preserves and exhibits various aquatic species of Vietnam to serve scientific research, education, sightseeing, and raising awareness about the protection and development of aquatic resources.

- Establishing a network of information, connecting the National Data Center with research agencies, management agencies, and localities.

5. Education to raise awareness about the protection of aquatic resources.

Building and implementing the national communication action plan aimed at promoting education and raising awareness about the protection of aquatic resources and their living environments, including the following activities:

- Organizing training sessions to enhance awareness for county, commune-level officials, and fishermen on laws related to fisheries, the benefits of protecting aquatic resources and their living environments for both the fishing community and society as a whole.

- Developing communication programs on the protection and development of aquatic resources through mass media.

- Printing and distributing posters and promotional materials to educate about the protection of aquatic resources.

- Incorporating educational content on the protection of aquatic resources and their living environments into appropriate levels of schooling.

6. Priority Projects under the Program for Protection and Development of Aquatic Resources until 2010.

From now until 2010, focus on building and implementing priority projects, including:

- Restoring, regenerating, and developing aquatic resources; conserving valuable and rare aquatic species with high economic and scientific value that are threatened with extinction.

- Establishing models for transitioning from marine coastal fishery exploitation to other suitable industries in some coastal areas.

- Planning and organizing the management of marine conservation zones, inland aquatic resource conservation, and restricted and prohibited fishing areas.

- Establishing models for managing aquatic resources with community participation.

- Building and managing a system of information and data on aquatic resources and their living environments.

- Building and implementing the national communication action plan on the work of protecting and developing aquatic resources.

IV. SOME KEY SOLUTIONS:

1. Encouraging Investment in Activities for the Protection and Development of Aquatic Resources.

- Domestic and foreign organizations and individuals investing in scientific research and transferring advanced technology applications to activities for the protection and development of aquatic resources such as: researching, breeding, producing new types of aquatic species with economic value for aquaculture or releasing them into natural waters to regenerate and develop aquatic resources shall enjoy preferential policies according to the Law on Encouraging Domestic Investment (amended) and current regulations.

- Organizations and individuals participating in establishing and managing marine conservation zones, inland aquatic resource conservation, in addition to the incentives stipulated in the Law on Encouraging Domestic Investment (amended), may participate in exploiting the values of the conservation zone in accordance with the law.

2. Gradually Reducing and Transitioning from Natural Marine Coastal Fishery Exploitation.

- Supporting fishermen to transition from natural marine coastal fishery exploitation to distant sea areas or alternative industries: providing loans with preferential interest rates; organizing guidance and technical training; allocating land and water surfaces to fishing households; financial support in cases of natural disasters, epidemics...

- Studying to formulate appropriate resource tax policies based on the type of occupation and fishing gear, and seasonal restrictions or encouragements.

3. Strengthening Hierarchical Management and Mobilizing Public Participation in Protecting Aquatic Resources and Their Living Environments.

- Zoning and hierarchical management for local coastal authorities; organizing the management of aquatic resources and their living environments linked to aquaculture and other service industries, primarily in coastal areas.

- Mobilizing organizations such as the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Ho Chi Minh Pioneer Corps, Women's Union, Veterans' Association, Farmers' Union, Senior Citizens' Association... to participate in activities promoting the protection and development of aquatic resources.

4. Applying Advanced Technology to Activities for the Protection and Development of Aquatic Resources.

- Researching, introducing, and applying selective fishing technologies, clean aquaculture, reducing post-harvest losses, increasing high-value aquatic products, using biological preparations, reducing chemical usage...

- Applying advanced technologies in artificial breeding of aquatic species to meet requirements for restoring and recovering population densities of over-exploited species, rare and precious species...

- Applying new material technologies in deploying artificial reefs, coral reef restoration, seagrass bed restoration...

5. Financial Matters.

- Central budget focusing on supporting activities: establishing and managing national and international marine conservation zones; transferring advanced technology for producing high-quality aquatic seedlings; conserving and preserving wild and farmed aquatic genetic resources (ancestral and parental strains...); investigating, researching, and evaluating aquatic resources; training human resources to implement the Program.

- Local budgets concentrating on activities: establishing and managing marine conservation zones and inland aquatic resource conservation managed by localities; restoring, recovering, and developing aquatic resources; addressing environmental incidents, restoring ecosystems; building and implementing models for managing and protecting aquatic resources and their living environments with community participation; ensuring inspection, control, and monitoring activities for the implementation of the Program.

- Other sources of funds raised: establishing and managing marine conservation areas, conserving inland aquatic resources; transferring aquaculture breeding technology; restoring and recovering aquatic resource stocks and ecosystems, living environments of aquatic species; investigating and assessing aquatic resource stocks; training human resources to serve the Program and enhancing the capacity of management agencies for protecting aquatic resource stocks and living environments of aquatic species (in accordance with projects approved by competent authorities).

V. IMPLEMENTATION:

1. The Ministry of Fisheries shall be responsible for taking the lead and coordinating with relevant ministries, sectors, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities: guiding localities in developing specific programs for each locality; building models for protecting and developing aquatic resource stocks through a joint effort between the State and the people; training communication volunteers for protecting aquatic resource stocks and living environments of aquatic species; implementing priority projects of the Program; conducting annual reviews and summarizing experiences to promptly replicate successful models; consolidating and enhancing the operational capacity of research agencies and organizations related to the protection and development of aquatic resource stocks.

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance shall be responsible for balancing and allocating state budget funds and international financial assistance to ensure annual funding for the implementation of the Program.

3. The Ministries of Natural Resources and Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Education and Training shall cooperate with the Ministry of Fisheries to manage national conservation areas and related wetland areas; compile teaching contents on protecting and developing aquatic resource stocks for schools; develop public awareness-raising programs and educational materials to enhance understanding among the public about protecting aquatic resource stocks and living environments of aquatic species through mass media.

4. The People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities shall direct all levels of government and functional agencies in their localities to develop specific plans and detailed projects; build and implement specific projects; coordinate with central ministries, sectors, and sponsors to attract capital and technical support to promote the activities of the Program.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 3. Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of agencies under the Government, Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities are responsible for implementing this Decision.