Fishing boats in Bình Định Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Văn Nhật

BÌNH ĐỊNH — The People's Committee of Bình Định Province has unveiled a comprehensive plan aimed at transitioning certain seafood harvesting professions from 2024 to 2030, targeting activities that impact local resources and ecological environments.

The overarching goal is to gradually align fishing efforts with the capacity for resource recovery and enhancement, thereby improving the productivity and quality of fishing vessels while safeguarding resources and environmental conditions.

The plan also seeks to ensure stable employment and income for all fishermen, addressing concerns related to the European Commission's 'yellow card' warning.

By 2025, the province aims to convert 342 fishing vessels operating in nearshore and turbulent fishing areas, which heavily exploit invasive seafood resources, to alternative fishing professions with lesser impact or to other industries.

To support this transition, training programmes will be provided for 2,000 fishermen with fishing vessels to equip them with skills aligned with the new professions.

From 2026 to 2030, the plan targets the conversion of 198 fishing vessels engaged in trawling and squid fishing in turbulent and offshore areas to alternative seafood harvesting professions or other industries, with training programmes planned for 1,000 fishermen.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will lead the oversight and guidance of district, city, and town-level people's committees to ensure the plan's objectives are effectively implemented. This involves collaborating with relevant agencies and departments to propose policies for transitioning seafood harvesting professions, conducting inspections, monitoring progress, and reporting to the provincial People's Committee.

The Department of Planning and Investment will review and allocate public investment capital in line with the plan's objectives, while the Department of Finance will advise on central support for professional conversion.

The Department of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs will focus on enhancing vocational training, counseling and job placement for fishermen, particularly those transitioning professions.

Despite efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent times, Bình Định Province acknowledges existing limitations. Administrative violations in the fisheries sector have resulted in fines totaling nearly VNĐ3.4 billion (US$133,800) since early 2023.

Provincial chairman Phạm Anh Tuấn emphasised the province's commitment to sustainable fisheries development, underscoring the importance of enforcing regulations, managing fishing fleets, and preventing illegal harvesting activities.

Bình Định Province now has over 5,300 fishing vessels, with over 40 per cent of them operating nationwide, primarily concentrated in southern provinces. — VNS