Fishery Country Profiles
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| FISHERY COUNTRY PROFILE |
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |
FID/CP/VIE
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August 1999 |
| PROFIL DE LA PĘCHE PAR PAYS |
Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture |
RESUMEN INFORMATIVO SOBRE
LA PESCA POR PAISES |
Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación |
THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM
GENERAL ECONOMIC DATA
|
Area: |
329 560 km2 |
|
Shelf area (to 200 m)1 : |
approx. 700 000 km2 |
|
Length of coastline: |
3 444 km |
|
Population (1996): |
75 181 000 |
|
GDP at producer’s price (1995): |
US$ 20 000 million |
|
GDP per caput (1995): |
US$ 267 |
|
Agricultural GDP (1995): |
US$ 8 000 million |
FISHERIES DATA
Commodity balance (1996):
| |
Production |
Import |
Export |
Total supply |
Per caput supply |
| |
'000 tons liveweight |
Kg/year |
|
Fish for direct human consumption |
1 000.0 |
2.7 |
139.47 |
833.23 |
111.1 |
|
Fish for animal feed and other purposes |
30.0(1) |
25.0 |
5.0 |
– |
– |
Note: (1) Trash fish used directly for feed.
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Estimated employment (1996): |
|
|
Primary sector: |
1.1 million |
|
Secondary sector: |
1.8 million |
| |
|
|
Gross value of fisheries output (ex-vessel prices): |
n/a |
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Trade (1996): |
|
|
Value of imports:: |
(insignificant) |
|
Value of exports: |
US$ 500 million |
STRUCTURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INDUSTRY
Marine fisheries
The Vietnamese marine capture fisheries can be divided into coastal fishery, inshore fishery (having land sight), shallow water offshore fishery (up to approx. 50 m depth) and deep-sea fishery.
There is an ancient tradition for both collecting and capturing fish direct from the beach or in shallow mangroves, estuaries, lagoons and river deltas, helped by the influence of tidal water. A variety of simple, as well as sophisticated, fishing gear is used for capture of all kinds of fish and shellfish species. This provides a substantial amount of protein to the coastal population. Due to the increase in human population, there is an enormous pressure on these resources. Exact data are not available, but estimates can be drawn from behavioural analysis. According to these estimates, in addition to the 8 million people whose livelihood depends on these fisheries as the household primary income source, there are an additional 12 million who get part of their income or subsistence from fisheries.
Inshore fishery (up to 4-5 n mi from the coast) depends on a fleet of about 28 000 non-mechanized canoes and boats, and approximately 45 000 smaller mechanized boats with attached long-tailer or stationary 1-cylinder diesel engines up to approximately 20 hp, mainly of Chinese and Japanese make. All these vessels operate directly from the beach without using harbour facilities. The most popular fishing gears are gillnet, longline, lift-net, pushnet and traps. Statistics covering these gears are approximate since landings can take place nearly anywhere along the coast. The bulk landings end up in local town and village markets, but high-value species are sold to professional dealers and factories.
In the shallow-water offshore fisheries, it is mostly small trawlers that are used, but also deploying many other types of fishing gear, such as purse seines, longlines and various traps. The offshore fisheries supply about 90% of the commercial landings – less than 60% of estimated marine capture landings. The total fleet consists of approximately 20 000 vessels, almost all of them made of wood. Total engine power is approximately 1 000 000 hp, an average of 50 hp per boat. Most vessels are equipped with second hand truck engines.
Only about 100 vessels are equipped with engines of 400-500 hp, with the capacity for deep-sea fishing. This fleet comprises either trawlers or purse seiners. Trawlers are used in waters 35-80 m deep in southeastern waters, whereas purse seiners fish pelagic species in deep waters, mainly off the central region.
Overcapitalization (increased fishing effort/number of vessels and fleet horsepower combined with decreased catch per unit effort) is a common feature for coastal, inshore and shallow water offshore fisheries. This is aggravated by the fact that there are no regulations to exclude bigger vessels off shallow-water fishing grounds.
Marine fishing areas are the Gulf of Tonkin (in north central, southeast and southwest Viet Nam) and the south Vietnamese fishing grounds of the Mekong river delta. The last-named area provides over 75% of the total marine landings. In 1995, the total exploitable resource was estimated at 1.1 million t.
Inland fisheries and aquaculture
Almost any freshwater body in populated areas is subject to fisheries utilization. For centuries, the Mekong river delta in the south and the Red River delta in north have been used for capture fishery, as well as for extensive fish farming. The Mekong river delta covers an area of 40 000 km2 and is very productive.
The total area of natural inland water bodies (lakes and rivers) is estimated to be about 4 200 km2, and additional ponds and seasonal flooded areas of 6 000 km2. A number of dams and reservoirs have also been constructed. It is estimated that the freshwater capture fishery was about 126 000 t in 1996, but the figure could well be underestimated as there is no systematic data collection.
About another 270 000 t came from aquaculture in 1996, about 75% of which was different species of carp. The rest came from farming of catfish species. Production of about 8-10 000 t of highly valued giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) was reported in 1996, but this figure could, to some extent, include capture fishery.
Utilisation of the catch
Most of the marine capture landing and almost all of the freshwater production is consumed domestically. There is a strong demand for traditionally preserved fish (dried, salted, and fermented products such as paste and sauce).
The processing industry consists of about 140 state-owned factories and a smaller number of private enterprises. The state-owned factories mainly pack shrimp and, to some extent, squid and cuttlefish from the marine capture fishery. Almost the entire output goes for export. There are also private fish canning factories, which deal mainly with farmed shrimp for export.
Domestic production of fishmeal is not known, but it may constitute a substantial part of marine landings.
State of the fishing industry
The fishing fleet has been growing fast for more than a decade. Exploitation of the inshore and most shallow water offshore resources has reached its maximum and is close to overexploitation. The growing human population, no enforced regulations and low economic barriers to entry to the business are major factors in this expansion.
Most of the fleet consists of small vessels capable of fishing neither far from land nor in deep waters. Government policy is to ease the pressure on coastal resources and to further develop the industry (economic growth strategy) through better utilization of deep-sea resources. Problems encountered include inter alia monitoring and control of deep-water fishing grounds, as well as illegal fishing by vessels from other nations.
The state-owned processing industry is facing severe problems due to lack of suitable equipment and modern quality management systems. Furthermore, it operates with the aim to increasing export rather than to generate profit.
Trade
Marine landings can roughly be divided into three categories: high value species for export; medium value species for domestic consumption; and low value species for fishmeal.
The need for foreign currency coupled with state ownership of the processing industry have created a price regime with high prices for shrimp and squid species. At the same time, due to low purchasing power in the domestic market, most species for human consumption are low priced. Prices are established by the State Pricing Committee, that imposes price floors and ceilings for each species according to quality grades.
The main exports are directed to Japan, Taiwan Province of China and the Republic of Korea. The Hong Kong market has been growing during the recent years. The government is also eager to expand fish exports to the EU and USA markets.
Economic role of the fishing industry
The fisheries sector plays an important role in the national economy. With a per caput consumption of 11.1 kg in 1996, the sector provides about half of the annual supply of animal protein in the national human diet.
Almost 3 million people are directly employed in the sector; nearly 10% of the population derive their main income from fisheries.
With over 10% of the total export earnings, fisheries remains the second most important export-oriented sector, after the crude oil industry, and ahead of agricultural products such as rice and rubber.
DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS
The development objectives are the optimal exploitation of Vietnamese fish resources by national means, and further expansion of the export industry.
Neither the inshore nor the offshore resources are subject to periodic resource assessment. It seems, however, that the inshore and most shallow-water offshore resources are exploited at maximum sustainable yield.
Recently, the deep-sea resources have been subject to research by the authorities. Japanese semi-commercial vessels have carried out surveys of deep-water pelagic resources – mainly tuna stocks – in distant waters off Central Viet Nam. However, the highly migratory nature of these resources (the fish are in Vietnamese waters for a short period only) makes risky any investments in fleet development.
A local steel stern trawler, chartered by DANIDA in 1996/97, carried out trial fishing in the 50-200 m depth range. The collected data show reasonable catch-per-unit-effort results, but of mainly low value species.
Government policy is to develop deep-sea fishery if resources are available to support the economic viability of the operation. However, if a deep-sea fleet is developed without enforcing regulations to keep it off already exploited resources, it could lead to negative impact on the existing fleet.
Brackishwater aquaculture is expanding, as it did in Thailand in the late 1980s and previously in Taiwan Province of China. The annual production limit is expected to be above 100 000 t.
Freshwater aquaculture, based on subsistence and small-scale enterprises, may have a potential for further development.
RESEARCH
The Research Institute of Marine Products (RIMP) in Haiphong is the main fisheries research centre in Viet Nam. The staff of over 100 employees cover a variety of activities. The institute focuses on biological aspects, and is engaged in resource monitoring and stock assessment.
The Institute of Fisheries Economics and Planning (IFEP) in Hanoi produces statistics as well as sector analysis. IFEP employs about 35 people. The Institute is also involved in fisheries management problems, and serves as a training centre.
Three aquaculture research institutes (Habac, HCM City, Nha Trang) carry out scientific research and provide extension services, mainly on fry production and farming techniques.
The Mekong River Commission (MRC) was established on 15 April 1995, upon the signature of the Agreement on Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River Basin, in Chiang Rai, Thailand. The Agreement was signed by four riparian countries: Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Thailand and Viet Nam. The Commission replaced the Mekong Committee, established in 1957, and the Interim Mekong Committee, established in 1978. The Commission's objective is to cooperate in the fields of sustainable development, utilization, management and conservation of water and resources of the Mekong River Basin.
FOREIGN AID
At present, DANIDA, NORAD, JICA and CIDA are operating in the fisheries sector in Viet Nam. the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is involved in infrastructure projects and plans to join ICLARM in a project covering sustainable utilization of coastal fish stocks.
DANIDA is involved in three major fields: quality improvement, resources assessment and master planning. The Quality Improvement Project (SEAQIP) provides management training to the state-run export sector; the Resources Assessment Project (ALMVR) has carried out surveys and basic stock assessment in cooperation with RIMP; and the Master Plan Project has undertaken basic sector analysis in cooperation with IFEP.
NORAD is working on a study on offshore resources and has made preliminary studies that could lead to a project on a fisheries law system.
JICA has completed a project on large pelagic species in deep waters off the coast of Central Viet Nam, with the aim of investigating tuna migration in Vietnamese waters and to propose a management plan, fishing methods and technology transfer.
CIDA is involved in a project to support sustainability of near-shore fisheries, including more balanced policy objectives and management activities.
ADB is involved in a project to rehabilitate ten fish harbours and to equip bigger fishing vessels with modern engines.
1 |
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The total EEZ is in general assumed to be approx. 1 000 000 km2, but cannot be measured precisely due to disputes about boundaries with the neighbouring countries. Neither can the shelf area. The Vietnamese Authorities use the following definition: "Vietnamese sea areas" are the sea areas under the sovereignty jurisdiction of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam according to the 5 December 1977 Declaration of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ratified on 23 June 1994 by the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, including the internal waters, the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf. |