Protection and sustainable development of aquatic resources

In recent times, the province has strengthened measures to protect aquatic resources and combat IUU fishing. This has raised people's awareness of complying with international laws on fishing, conserving biodiversity, and contributing to increasing income for coastal communities.

The province focuses on sustainable protection of natural resources in the area; organizes the review, editing and completion of the map of marine space use plans in the Provincial Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050; zoning to ensure socio -economic development associated with the conservation of important ecological areas, such as: Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long National Park, Co To - Tran Island Marine Protected Area...

Provincial leaders inspect fish farming models in the concentrated marine farming area of ​​Dam Ha commune. Photo: Minh Duc

Localities have focused on managing the area of ​​aquaculture. The province has completed the planning of 45,146 hectares of water surface for aquaculture development; of which 13,400 hectares are for industrial-scale aquaculture, 29,717.18 hectares of tidal flats are planned for raising native species such as cockles, sea worms, clams, and crabs. The handover of sea areas to enterprises, cooperatives, and households is being carried out quickly. In the first 9 months of 2025, the province granted aquaculture licenses to 39/40 dossiers, 4,016.76 hectares; the sea area was assigned to 1,603.05 hectares; the commune level completed the handover of sea areas to 755 individuals, 464.82 hectares.

Along with that, the province has issued a policy to plan 3 conservation areas, 38,575 hectares; 13 NLTS protection areas, 3,440 hectares. On average, each year the province releases 6.6 million additional aquatic breeds to regenerate NLTS. In addition, a number of NLTS protection models have been implemented, such as: Co-management model of sandworm resources in Minh Chau, Quan Lan in Van Don special zone; sandworm beach in Dai Binh area of ​​Dam Ha commune..., contributing to solving jobs and increasing income for about 300 households.

Localities are actively supporting fishermen to change their jobs from fishing to aquaculture and other occupations. By the end of 2024, 766 vessels with about 2,240 workers had changed jobs. This has helped reduce pressure on coastal fishing and create more sustainable livelihoods for people.

Quang Ha commune authorities dismantled illegal stakes and bottom posts in the sea area managed by the commune.

In addition to aquaculture, the province encourages fishermen to exploit offshore aquatic products, but must strictly comply with the provisions of international law and Vietnamese law, and provincial regulations. As of October 21, 2025, the province has 4,097 fishing vessels of 6m or more registered and updated to the VNfishbase system; the rate of granting fishing licenses reached 99.9%; the rate of valid registration reached 96.9%... In the first 9 months of 2025, the total aquatic product output of the province reached 142,457.03 tons, an increase of 4.9% over the same period in 2024.

The provincial departments, agencies and localities have strengthened inspections, handled violations and tightened the legal framework on the front of combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The province has issued many directives and established working groups to review and guide ship owners in completing documents, not allowing ships to operate when they do not meet the requirements; at the same time, closely coordinated with the police and border guards to investigate and handle cases of lost connection to the vehicle monitoring system (VMS) and wrong fishing areas.

Through inspection, from the beginning of 2025 to October 21, the whole province discovered and handled 482 violations, fined 6.78 billion VND; investigated, verified, and handled 48/54 fishing vessels that lost VMS connection; prosecuted 1 case of sending a journey monitoring device on a fishing vessel.

The province has promoted the use of voyage monitoring equipment, electronic terminal declaration system (eCDT) and contacted service providers to fix technical errors. The province has trained 55 commune, village and border guards on eCDT, thereby supporting ship owners in declaration work. From the beginning of 2025 to October 21, 1,097 fishing vessels arriving and departing from ports declared via eCDT. Combining technology with patrolling has contributed to improving management efficiency and creating a database for anti-IUU work; reducing the number of unqualified vessels to only 28 (5 unlicensed vessels, 23 expired vessels).

With a strict management system of NLTS, from marine spatial planning, controlled development of NLTS, to conservation areas, regeneration of seed sources and tightening management of fishing vessels by both administrative and technological measures..., it has contributed to the protection and sustainable development of NLTS in the province.

Thu Nguyet

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/bao-ve-phat-trien-ben-vung-nguon-loi-thuy-san-3382198.html