Urgent need to support fishermen in transitioning to other occupations.

Transforming coastal fishing practices is not only a solution to lift the "yellow card" on fisheries but also aims to stabilize the lives of fishermen and promote sustainable fisheries development in Da Nang city.

Fishermen from Tam Xuan commune come ashore to sell their seafood after a fishing trip. Photo: QUANG VIET

Depletion of fishery resources

According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Da Nang city, there are currently 2,326 fishing vessels with a length of 6m to less than 12m fishing in coastal waters (accounting for 56.4% of the total number of fishing vessels). Overfishing in coastal waters in recent times has led to the depletion of marine resources, making the livelihoods of fishermen increasingly difficult.

In Tam Hai island commune, hundreds of households rely on coastal fishing for their livelihood. According to research by Dr. Chu Manh Trinh, a marine conservation expert, overfishing has severely threatened the biodiversity and marine ecosystem in the Tam Hai sea area, especially in the protected Ban Than area. Many valuable marine species such as red snapper, sardines, and marlin are declining and at risk of extinction. Coral reefs and seagrass beds have also significantly decreased in area.

Fisherman Huynh Van Tap (Thuan An village, Tam Hai island commune) said that in the past, herring, scad, mackerel, grouper, and sea bass were abundant in the local coastal waters, but now they are very rare. "In the past, each fishing trip from night to morning brought us a stable income. Now, the fish yield after each trip is decreasing, so our income is more precarious," Mr. Tap said.

Trawling destroys resources and damages the fishing gear of coastal fishermen. Photo: QUANG VIET

According to Mr. Huynh Van Cuong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tam Hai island commune, the livelihoods of the fishing community, whose main source of income is coastal fishing, have been affected by the gradual decline in marine resources. Meanwhile, trawling has damaged the fishing gear of small boats, further negatively impacting the livelihoods of fishermen in the area.

Mr. Cuong hopes that the fisheries, fisheries inspection, coast guard, and border guard sectors will strictly control and handle trawling vessels that damage fishermen's nets and negatively impact the marine ecosystem and biodiversity in the island commune, especially in the Ban Than area where a marine protected area is planned to be built. He particularly hopes that the city will soon have mechanisms and policies to support fishermen in transitioning to other occupations to achieve greater livelihood stability and contribute to the protection of marine biology and ecosystems.

We need policies that are closely aligned with reality.

The urgent need to address the negative impacts of marine fisheries on the marine ecosystem has been raised recently. The Government issued Decision No. 208 on March 10, 2023, approving a plan to transform marine fisheries practices that negatively affect resources and the ecosystem. The goal is to gradually improve the productivity, quality, and efficiency of marine fisheries while protecting marine resources, ecosystems, and biodiversity; and to create stable jobs and ensure a decent livelihood for fishermen after the transition.

Transforming coastal fishing practices not only provides stable income but also protects biodiversity and marine ecosystems. Photo: QUANG VIET

According to the Tam Xuan Commune People's Committee, in order to implement the aforementioned project, the city's fisheries sector has recently collected data and sought opinions from fishermen engaged in trawling in the area regarding suitable occupational conversion. Most fishermen agree to the conversion and hope that the relevant authorities will advise the City People's Committee on mechanisms and policies to support fishermen who cease trawling. Support will focus on financial assistance, vocational training, and participation in community groups managing and protecting the Ba Dau reef ecosystem.

Currently, there are many models in the city that involve converting coastal fishing to offshore aquaculture; many of these models yield considerable economic benefits. However, due to limited capital, fishermen cannot invest in sturdy cage aquaculture, and suffer significant losses due to storms and floods.

According to Vice Chairman of the Da Nang City People's Committee Tran Nam Hung, transitioning coastal fishermen to other occupations is crucial. This is an important step in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, enabling Da Nang and the rest of the country to comply with the European Commission's recommendations on lifting the "yellow card" on fisheries, and moving towards responsible and sustainable fisheries development. The city leadership assigned the Department of Agriculture and Environment the task of encouraging and supporting fishermen to transition from coastal fishing to offshore aquaculture, investing in sturdy HDPE cages capable of withstanding unpredictable sea conditions.

This solution is expected to be highly effective in transforming coastal fisheries, helping fishermen increase their income. This will contribute to Da Nang and the rest of the country successfully implementing the marine economic development strategy, effectively exploiting marine potential, and creating wealth from the sea.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/cap-thiet-ho-tro-ngu-dan-chuyen-doi-nghe-3309212.html