Circular No. 4/TS-TT guiding the implementation of the Decision of the Council of Ministers No. 151-CT dated June 21, 1986 on restructuring fishing production on fishing grounds.

CIRCULAR

Regarding the reorganization of fishing production on fishing grounds

To implement Decision No. 151-CT of the Council of Ministers dated June 21, 1986 on the reorganization of fishing production on fishing grounds; this Circular guides items 1 and 3 of the Decision. The Ministry of Fisheries will issue separate Circulars with relevant departments to guide on maritime security, information network for resource protection, etc.

A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

I- DISTRIBUTION OF FISHING GROUNDS

Based on natural characteristics, resources, production customs, and distribution of productive forces, Vietnam's sea is divided into four regions: the Gulf of Tonkin region, the Central region, the East and West Southern region, and the offshore region.

1. The Gulf of Tonkin region:

Limited from the 21 degrees 30 minutes North latitude to 17 degrees 00 minutes North latitude, to the east by the outer boundary of the exclusive economic zone of our country. The Gulf of Tonkin region includes fishing grounds such as Cat Ba - Do Son, Long Chau, Thượng Hạ Mai, Bai Long Vi, Hon Me - Hon Mat, Hon Gia. The main fishing grounds are Bai Long Vi and Hon Me - Hon Mat.

2. The Central region: Limited from the 17 degrees 00 minutes North latitude to 10 degrees 40 minutes North latitude, to the east by the 200-meter depth contour line. The Central region includes fishing grounds off the provinces of Quang Nam - Da Nang, Nghia Binh, Phu Khanh, and Thu Thuan. The main fishing ground is Thu Thuan.

3. The East and West Southern region: Limited from the 10 degrees 40 minutes North latitude southward, to the east by the 50-meter depth contour line, and to the west by the outer boundary of the exclusive economic zone of our country. Within this region are fishing grounds such as Vung Tau - Con Dao, Cu Lau Thu, Hon Khoai, Phu Quoc, Tho Chu... The main fishing grounds are Vung Tau - Con Dao, Hon Khoai, and Phu Quoc.

4. The offshore region is the deep-sea area located outside the boundaries defined for the above regions.

II- ORGANIZATION OF PRODUCTION LINES

Based on occupational structure, vessel capabilities, and production customs, the currently exploited fishing grounds are divided into three lines: coastal, mid-water, and offshore.

1. Coastal line: Limited from the shore to depths less than 10 meters. In areas with a slope greater than 30 degrees, the coastal line is at least 5 kilometers from the shore.

2. Mid-water line: Limited from depths of 10-30 meters. In areas with a slope greater than 30 degrees, the mid-water line is between 6 to 15 kilometers from the shore.

3. Offshore line: Limited from depths of 30 meters and deeper. In areas with a slope greater than 30 degrees, the offshore line is at least 16 kilometers from the shore.

B- CONTENT OF REORGANIZING PRODUCTION ON FISHING GROUNDS

I- ORGANIZATION OF FISHING GROUND SURVEY AND FORECASTING.

1. Survey organization.

In the nearby sea areas, the Provincial Fisheries Department needs to cooperate with research institutes to survey economically valuable catch objects for domestic consumption and export, aiming to enhance the accuracy and enrich existing data. At the same time, in conjunction with production vessels, restore investigation and survey systems to accurately determine shrimp and fish beds and their fluctuations.

The Institute of Marine Products in Hai Phong is tasked annually to develop plans guiding continued research and surveys of aquatic resources.

Under the guidance of the Ministry of Fisheries and direct leadership of the Provincial Fisheries Departments, coastal districts must organize surveys of straits, bays, river mouths, tidal flats, and beaches to plan and utilize water surfaces for dike construction, shrimp farming, seaweed cultivation for export.

2. Fishing ground forecasting work.

By mid-month, the Institute of Marine Products in Hai Phong is responsible for forecasting the next month's distribution zones, exploitation levels, and the appearance of catch objects in various sea areas and major fishing grounds. Provincial Fisheries Departments and state-owned marine product exploitation enterprises base their local fishing ground forecasts on general forecasts, combined with surveys and actual production results.

In addition to monthly forecasts, the Institute of Marine Products in Hai Phong is tasked with long-term forecasts from 3 to 6 months regarding trends, fluctuations, and exploitation densities of major catch objects in sea areas, especially in major fishing grounds.

3. Restoring and maintaining regular reporting on production and fishing grounds.

Along with monthly reports on production and business plan implementation, Provincial Fisheries Departments and units under the Ministry have the responsibility to regularly report to the Ministry on the changes in local catch objects, the reasons affecting fishing ground dynamics, and resource availability.

The Fisheries Exploitation and Protection Department of the Ministry of Fisheries has the responsibility to urge and remind Provincial Fisheries Departments and units to report regularly. Simultaneously, in collaboration with the Institute of Marine Products in Hai Phong, they collect and process data to quickly inform localities about fishing ground conditions and improve forecasting accuracy.

II- ARRANGEMENT OF AQUACULTURE AND MARINE PRODUCT HARVESTING FORCES

1. Aquaculture: Development of aquaculture in brackish water areas must be expedited to increase domestic consumption products and supply raw materials (shrimp, seaweed, and other specialties for export). Brackish water aquaculture development should be carried out in connection with agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; taking counties as the main territory; with households and cooperatives as the main force. For waters within units, establish specialized teams for shrimp and fish farming, combining with tree planting and forestation. For scattered waters near households, assign them to individual families. On this basis, fully utilize water surface potential and labor, applying advanced techniques to significantly transform coastal brackish water aquaculture.

2. Marine Product Harvesting.

a) For state-owned marine product harvesting, quickly consolidate and improve organizational structures to strengthen the leading role of state-owned entities in the fishing industry:

- Reorganize the existing fishing fleet. Vessels that can no longer fish effectively will be converted to logistics services and marine transport. Reduced-power vessels will be shifted to floating fishing or shrimp towing operations...

- Develop a reasonable occupational structure to ensure effective exploitation in mid-water and offshore lines. Promote dual-purpose operations to harvest both bottom and surface fish and specialties.

- Serve as the core in directing and applying technological advancements in harvesting.

- Central and local fishery enterprises shall organize joint ventures or collaborations to utilize and reasonably arrange their fleets for both fishing tasks and logistical services for local fishermen, while also moving part of the fleet seasonally to other areas to gather products.

b) The individual fishing industry currently and in the coming years will still hold a significant position in fishing production. Therefore, it is necessary to quickly reorganize production, initially on major fishing grounds, to gradually increase annual catch volumes. Reorganizing the individual fishing industry includes the following main issues:

- Socialist transformation and building new production relations to ensure steady development of the fishing industry based on increasing catch volume, accumulation, and income for cooperatives and production groups. In socialist transformation and building new production relations, it is essential to properly guide the forms and steps of cooperatives and production groups; appropriate organizational scale. At the same time, determine production directions and occupational structures suitable for natural conditions, resources, and local customs. Additionally, each cooperative and production group needs to strengthen its fishing and logistical service forces to plan the organization and registration of labor force movement for seasonal production on annual fishing grounds according to the guidance of the Ministry of Fisheries and Provincial Fisheries Departments.

- To address the issue of unsuitable occupational structures, localities need to build new occupational structures as follows:

In the northern Gulf of Tonkin region, gradually reduce the number of light trap fishing from 600-700 currently to about 300-350 goldfish annually. Restore and develop light-trawl fishing, goldfish hooking, manual shrimp pulling, and shrimp dragging...

In the central coastal region, gradually reduce high-net, scoop, rake, and beach-dredge fishing which target juvenile fish in nearshore waters. Strengthen the development of offshore fishing such as trawling, deep-sea longlining, purse seining, and goldfish hooking...

In the eastern and western South China Sea regions, intensify investment in deep-sea trawling operations in waters deeper than 30 meters. Restore anchovy purse seining, introduce a reasonable amount of mixed fishing methods to serve export and domestic consumption of fish sauce. Develop combined light fishing methods such as purse seining, light traps, and nets...

In all three sea regions, pay attention to organizing multi-seasonal occupations reasonably or engaging in one or two occupations simultaneously within the same period on a single fishing unit.

- Fleet structure for fishing: Utilize existing fishing vessels reasonably for each sea area. Ensure exploitation along three routes and move fishing forces seasonally.

For the coastal route and semi-offshore route, mainly use vessels with horsepower up to 33 hp and traditional craft.

Offshore route: 45 hp, 90-140 hp; simultaneously form fleets of 250-400-600-1000 hp... to effectively exploit offshore waters.

Alongside forming fishing fleets at sea, each locality should pay due attention to small-capacity vessels serving river and estuary fishing to maintain a certain level of nearshore and inland water catch.

To provide good logistical support for the individual fishing industry, the Ministry of Fisheries, together with relevant sectors and localities, will develop service fleets to collect products on major fishing grounds. Each locality will also develop service and logistical fleets to collect products, ensuring the fishing forces of their own locality. Initially, mobilize the fleets of local state-owned fishing enterprises, central enterprises, and central and local seafood companies, primarily the Hai Phong Combined Fisheries Enterprise.

- Occupational distribution along production lines to avoid overlapping fishing activities between different types of fishing, ensuring sustainable catch productivity... occupational distribution is regulated as follows:

Coastal route for bottom trawling, light traps, scoop dredging, shrimp pulling, shrimp trawling, two-three stake nets, and traps with vessel sizes from 4-16 hp and traditional craft from 2-13 tons and rafts.

Semi-offshore route for light netting, scoop dredging, shrimp trawling, fish trawling, and purse seining with vessel sizes from 12-33 hp and traditional craft from 7-30 tons.

Offshore route for deep-sea trawling, purse seining, trawling, fish trawling, and goldfish hooking with vessel sizes from 45 hp upwards.

Besides the above regulations, annually adjust occupations, increase or decrease the number, size, and permitted catch volume of vessels according to resource changes, as determined by the Ministry of Fisheries and the Major Fishing Ground Steering Committee.

c) Organizing the movement of fishing forces.

On specific fishing grounds and each sea area, only a certain catch volume is allowed. To ensure catch productivity and resource regeneration, it is necessary to coordinate fishing forces across sea areas. Therefore, central and local state-owned fishing enterprises, military units, and production cooperatives and groups with mobile forces must register their planned fishing ground movements with the Ministry of Fisheries by October each year to arrange next year's fishing plans (registration must clearly specify the fishing period, number of vessels, occupations, expected catch volume, product sales plan, local and unit logistical service capacity, and support requirements). Units without registration must not organize forces to move and fish in other areas.

Before moving, fishing forces need to complete the following procedures and preparations:

- Moving units must ensure they have all required documents as stipulated.

- Vessels must ensure safety and be suitable for the intended fishing grounds.

- Appoint authorized officials to contact in advance with the Fishing Ground Steering Committee and localities with fishing grounds regarding cooperation and joint venture regulations, responsibilities towards the sea area, and economic contracts with localities having fishing grounds, based on ensuring mutual benefits.

- When moving and during fishing operations, at each locality, enterprises organize into a group. The group consists of three or more fishing units divided into teams. Teams may be divided according to profession, size of vessels, or groups of vessels for ease of monitoring, management, and mutual assistance during movement.

- In border areas between provinces and within provinces where fishing is conducted in schools of fish, there is no need to register or request permission to move vessels.

III- BUILDING FISH PIER, ORGANIZING LOGISTICS AND SUPPLYING MATERIALS, PURCHASING PRODUCTS

1. Building fish piers.

Annually, the Fisheries Department coordinates with relevant sectors and localities to survey and prepare economic feasibility studies to gradually invest in key areas, enhancing the capacity to receive products and logistics services of fish piers on major fishing grounds.

For fish piers in localities, the Provincial Fisheries Service prepares economic feasibility studies to be submitted to the People's Committee of the province for approval of annual investment plans, serving the fishing vessels of the locality, meeting the requirements of production development based on the overall planning of the sector.

2. Organizing logistics, services, supplying materials, purchasing products.

At localities and enterprises, especially on major fishing grounds, it is necessary to unify product management. From raw materials obtained through harvesting, there should be planned allocation and classification to attract export and domestic goods to be concentrated under state control. Specific and resolute measures must be taken to restore order and prevent price inflation due to competitive buying and selling.

In principle, the unit supplying materials and logistics services is also responsible for receiving products.

The supply of materials and fuel to fishing vessels must be carried out according to unified quotas set by the Fisheries Department. Simultaneously, this must be closely linked to the annual purchase of products, managed by the local Fisheries Companies. For Central Fisheries Companies, procurement will be organized according to targets set annually by the Fisheries Department:

- Export products shall be handled by the Export Fisheries Company; at sea, they shall be handled by the Direct Sea Export Company. Temporarily, these tasks shall be assigned to the Export Fisheries Company and the Hai Phong Combined Fisheries Enterprise.

- Except for localities and units tasked with providing fresh fish, fresh fish products shall be handled by specialized companies. Temporarily, this task shall be assigned to the Hai Phong Combined Fisheries Enterprise.

- Processed products for domestic consumption, part of which shall be handled by the Central Fisheries Company according to annual plans, while the remainder shall be handled by local Fisheries Companies.

- For mobile forces with cooperative and joint ventures with fishing industries in specific regions, product collection shall be conducted through the service companies of each fishing ground.

3. Prioritize rapid development of cold storage systems.

Development of cold storage systems must be based on the overall planning of the fisheries sector for each period.

Initially, priority should be given to quickly investing in ice production facilities and small-scale cold storage clusters in areas with large exports and fresh fish products. Simultaneously, additional refrigerated transport vessels and seafood storage warehouses should be increased to serve domestic consumption and exports.

Large-scale cold storage clusters shall be assigned to the Central Fisheries Company and the Export Fisheries Company to develop plans for surveys and economic feasibility studies for annual construction.

4. Processing aquatic products.

Initially, improve the quality of export and domestic consumption products. Develop plans to gradually invest in deep processing equipment. Increase the production of diverse products to meet domestic and international market demands. To fully utilize existing equipment capacity, accelerate the processing of dried products such as animal feed fish meal, food-grade fish meal, dried fish, and various types of fish sauce.

5. Strengthen mechanical capabilities.

Mechanical capabilities for repairing and building new vessels are still weak, failing to ensure the highest mobilization of vessels during peak seasons. Generally, the number of newly built vessels across the country is insufficient to replace those retired annually. Given this situation, it is necessary to quickly consolidate and strengthen existing facilities and invest in new mechanical and vessel facilities capable of serving the entire industry and specific regions.

In the coming years, the Fisheries Department will coordinate with relevant agencies and localities to build two large mechanical complexes in the North and South, tasked with repair, construction, production of spare parts, and accessories, to meet the production needs of major fishing grounds and state-owned exploitation and transportation units.

At localities, primarily utilize the mechanical capabilities of existing cooperatives, conglomerates, and family-based facilities to repair, construct, and produce replacement parts for local vessels.

Standardize the sizes and types of vessels suitable for each sea area and fishing profession. At the same time, strictly manage the quality of new constructions and repairs, reasonable pricing... to increase the number of new and repaired vessels annually.

The Fisheries Machinery Company must report to the Ministry by the end of 1987 on the plan for the network of repair, construction, production of spare parts and accessories, and unified management of product quality throughout the industry.

Initially, assist the Ministry in consolidating and strengthening existing mechanical repair capabilities to meet current production needs.

6. On prices:

Prices for purchasing aquatic products and supplied materials under bilateral contracts and prices for purchasing export aquatic products shall be implemented according to the State-set price range.

7. Fees: Fishing vessels moving and fishing in fishing grounds outside their province must pay fees to the locality hosting the fishing ground. The purpose of paying fees is to cover costs for production management, security, and wharf services... The fees are defined as follows:

a) For fishing grounds in the provinces of Minh Hai, Kien Giang, and Thuan Hai, moving forces must pay a fee of 1.5% of the value of the catch to the Provincial Fisheries Services of these provinces.

b) For other fishing grounds, moving forces must pay a fee of 0.5% of the value of the catch.

c) For border sea areas between provinces and internal provincial movements, no fees are required.

The fee shall be paid in Vietnamese currency. The value of products shall be calculated based on the price range prescribed by the State at the locality where the fishing grounds are located (including exported aquatic products).

The payment of fees can be collected after each voyage or upon completion of production (a Circular jointly issued by the Ministry of Fisheries and the Ministry of Finance will provide specific guidance).

Apart from the aforementioned fee, the moving force does not need to pay any additional fee.

8. Inspection and Handling:

To assist the Fishing Ground Steering Committee and provinces in managing fishing activities at sea, an inspection team should be organized at each locality, consisting of representatives from the border guard, police, fisheries, and established by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee. The inspection team has the following responsibilities:

- Monitoring and inspecting vessels violating internal regulations during movement and exploitation within the jurisdictional waters.

- Preparing reports and submitting them to the Fishing Ground Steering Committee, Provincial People's Committee, and proposing rewards and disciplinary actions.

- All costs for the inspection team shall be covered by the province collecting the fees.

9. Fishing Ground Steering Committee.

To direct operations on major fishing grounds, the Ministry of Fisheries shall issue decisions to establish a Steering Committee at each fishing ground. The Chairperson shall be appointed by the Ministry of Fisheries, and members of the Committee shall consist of authorized individuals nominated by the Chairman of the People's Committee of the province with fishing grounds and the province with moving forces, and decided by the Ministry of Fisheries.

Specifically, for the South East-West fishing ground, which is a large fishing ground and has year-round exploitation forces, the Chairperson of this Fishing Ground Steering Committee shall be assumed by a Deputy Minister of Fisheries, and the localities with fishing grounds and those with moving forces shall appoint their authorized representatives as members of the Committee.

The Fishing Ground Steering Committee has the following functions and responsibilities:

- Participating with the Provincial People's Committee in state management in the assigned maritime area.

- Directing coordination, harmonization, and resolution of conflicts during the production process to ensure compliance with state policies, the interests of producers, and localities. Ensuring the implementation of annual plans and maintaining political security in the maritime area.

C. IMPLEMENTATION

To strictly implement Decision No. 151-CT and this guiding Circular, subordinate units of the Ministry and localities need to carry out the following tasks:

1. Departments, institutes, companies, and enterprises under the Ministry, according to their functions, need to develop specific plans to guide, urge, and regularly monitor and inspect units in the implementation of the Decision and guiding Circular.

2. Localities have the responsibility to organize dissemination and implementation of the Decision and guiding Circular in their respective areas.