HÀ NỘI — The total investment for the offshore fishing industry for the 2018-30 period has been projected to reach VNĐ42.2 trillion (US$1.87 billion).

The Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development released this information at a meeting held by the directorate on September 28 to discuss the master planning for offshore fishing development, nationwide, by 2020, with orientation to 2030.

Of the total capital, VNĐ19.5 trillion or 46.2 per cent will be used during the 2018-20 period, and the rest is reserved for the 2021-30 period. The funds will be mobilised from the State budget, local budgets, all domestic economic sectors and foreign supports.

According to the directorate, the objective of the master plan is to industrialise the offshore fishing industry by 2020 and modernise it by 2030, so that the sector’s productivity, quality and efficiency will be improved without harming fishery resources.

Specifically, by 2020, the output of offshore fishing will remain at some 1.62 million tonnes. For offshore fishing vessels, the number of net trawlers will be reduced, while the number of fishing boats will be increased. The number of service ships will be some 1,480, thus creating jobs for some 231,100 offshore workers.

By the year 2030, the exploited output and the number of offshore fishing vessels will remain the same as in 2020. The number of trawlers will continue to be reduced, and the number of fishing boats will continue to be increased. The number of service ships will be some 1,570, thus creating jobs for some 243,300 employees.

Nguyễn Văn Trung, director of the directorate’s Department of Exploitation, said that the issuance of this master plan would be necessary to manage fishing ships and catch output. Until now, localities had failed to do so, he said.

According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vũ Văn Tám, the Directorate of Fisheries should clarify issues such as the scope of fishing at sea, job shifting for local labourers, infrastructure for fishery services and shelters for boats to avoid storms.

He added that the solutions should be implemented toward stabilising or reducing catching output, and improving quality to ensure the sustainable development of the sector.

Therefore, Tám asked the Directorate of Fisheries to study and revise the planning carefully so that this plan is in line with the 2017 Law of Fisheries and Law on Planning, before it is submitted to the National Assembly at its next meeting. — VNS