The general report prepared by the Ministry revealed that fisheries sector, in line with the rapid development of the country’s economy and facing with may typical obstacles than others, is still one of the dramatic growth sectors. Total catch and aquaculture productivity reached 3.074 million tons, an increase of 7.7% in terms of weight and 11.2% in terms of value compared with that of 2003. Of which, fishing catch reached 1.92 million tons and aquaculture reached 1.15 million tons. The export revenue was at about US$ 2.4 billions, an increase of 9% compared with last year. The rise in the value rather than in productivity reflected that the effectiveness of fisheries production has been significantly improved, the proportion of highly-valued products is outnumbered then those of lower values. This tendency is well reflected in the processing and export of fish and fishery products. Out of 405 fish processing enterprises, as many as 239 enterprises met the sector’s standards in the food safety and hygiene, 153 enterprises were in the list of exporters to EU, 237 enterprises were qualified to export to Korea and 295 enterprises were qualified to export to China. The value-added processed products proportion gained 35% of total processed products compared with that of 23% in 2003.

Export markets are changing, especially the pressure from the lawsuit on the anti-dumping of the exported shrimps to US. Some developments are still recognizable, the existing markets are maintained and exploited in deeper scale. Other new markets are being expanded with 80 countries and territories.

The afore-said achievements are gained thanks to the integrated effort of the whole sector, from the offshore fishers to fish farmers, from processing and exporting enterprises to associations, clubs, managers, Ministry’s leadership to the research and training institutes as well as fisheries extension work.

The specialized reports on the investment, the implementation of the aquaculture development programme, fish export programme, the review of the emulation and speeches of the participants are the clear illustration of the above achievements.

Apart from recognizing the results and success, the meeting also pointed out the limitations, shortcomings and difficulties in very objective manner so as to find out suitable solutions and maintain the sustainable, effective developments in the coming time, especially within 2005 - the last year of the planning period 2001-2005. First of all, the limitation in the number of management system and restricted quality of those systems. Such systems are not in a par with a rapid economic development sector with large scale and sophisticated relations among the production and resources, environment, between the local various businesses, between local and external relationship. Secondly, the orientation, measures and conditions ensuring the economic transition process are not sufficient enough to reduce the spontaneous and limited developments as well as resolve the negative practices. Lastly, the unexpected difficulties of the natural conditions and pressure from importing countries as well as increasing competitiveness of other competitors.

Well acknowledging the tendency, pros and cons and limitations, the whole sector has agreed to speed up the growth momentum, focused on the quality of the growth to ensure the sustainable, effective and highly competitive development. In 2005, the sector has set out the target of fisheries productivity of 3,3 million tons (including 1.94 million tons of fishing products and 1.36 million tons of aquacultured products), the export revenue is expected to reach US$ 2.6.

In the delighted atmosphere of the achievements gained in 2004, the meeting did not forget the hardship of the fish workers caused by the accidents and natural disasters in particular and of the people in general. Especially, the meeting expressed the great sympathy to those who lost their lives in the tsunami. Sharing the difficulties with the damages sufferers, the meeting launched the special donation. At the meeting, more than 26 million VND were donated to the “Fund for victims of tsunami and earthquake in Southern and Southeast Asian countries”.