Gia Lai supports fishermen in changing jobs and protecting marine ecology

(GLO)- Faced with the reality of too many fishing vessels, some of which have practices that can negatively affect resources, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Gia Lai province is coordinating with localities to find solutions to help fishermen change their jobs for sustainable development.

From October 21 to 24, the Department of Agriculture and Environment worked with 14 coastal communes and wards to inform about policies, orientations and survey the need for career conversion in the fishing community.

Reducing the number of small boats, especially those operating inshore, and changing fishermen's jobs will reduce exploitation pressure and contribute to protecting resources. Photo: NN

Mr. Nguyen Cong Binh - Deputy Head of the Department of Fisheries (Department of Agriculture and Environment) said: The province has a policy of converting seafood exploitation occupations that have negative impacts on resources and benefits to environmentally friendly and sustainable seafood exploitation occupations or to other occupations.

Accordingly, the province encourages fishermen to develop occupations such as hand-line fishing, tuna fishing, purse seine fishing, and cage traps. If they do not go fishing, fishing boat owners can register to switch to the fishing logistics service profession.

Fishermen with experience at sea, understanding of terrain and fishing grounds can switch to fishing experience tourism , homestay, guiding visitors to coral reefs, mangrove forests or recreational fishing tourism.

In addition, fishermen can raise fish offshore in an industrial model using HDPE and composite materials; raise lobsters, sea fish, shrimp, and fish on sand or in ponds and lakes and can proactively control water quality.

Those who do not want to work at sea will be supported in training new jobs in other fields such as: high-tech agriculture, processing, handicrafts, mechanics, refrigeration, services...

According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the whole province has about 1,000 people in need of changing careers.

The survey in the fishing community will be carried out with two types of forms: one for fishing boat owners, to record their wishes on whether they agree to change their profession or not and which profession they want to change to; the second form for coastal fishing households to count the need for training support and job referrals for members of working age. The survey results will be the basis for developing the province's career conversion project.

Mr. Truong Ba Pha - Head of Tan Phung 1 village (Phu My Dong commune) shared: "We will actively support and guide people to find the right direction, but the province really needs to pay attention to this locality's characteristics."

Mr. Dao Van Thai (Hoai Nhon ward) decided to sell the boat and switch to investing in frog farming. Photo: Diep Bao Suong

Currently, many fishermen believe in the direction of the government and the agricultural sector. After nearly 20 years of drifting at sea, realizing that aquatic resources were increasingly depleted, 3 years ago, Mr. Dao Van Thai (in Cuu Loi Nam quarter, Hoai Nhon ward) decided to sell his boat and switch to investing in frog farming.

From a few thousand frogs at first, his frog farm has now grown to 15,000, earning hundreds of millions of dong each year. “At first, I was very worried, afraid that I would not be used to the new job. Now, I find that raising frogs is more effective, stable, and easier than going to sea,” Mr. Thai shared.

At the meetings of the National Steering Committee on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized: Changing jobs for fishermen not only helps protect depleted aquatic resources, but also contributes to changing production thinking, escaping the situation of "sticking to the sea at all costs", opening up a direction for sustainable development.

The Prime Minister requested localities to develop a project to support fishermen in changing suitable jobs, combined with preferential loan policies, food support, and vocational training in the initial stages so that people can feel secure and stabilize their lives.

Changing careers is not only a change in livelihood, but also a shift in awareness from exploitation to conservation, from "taking from the sea" to "keeping the sea".

It is also the inevitable path to develop a sustainable fisheries industry, harmonizing economic benefits and responsibility for protecting the environment and resources for future generations.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/gia-lai-ho-tro-ngu-dan-chuyen-doi-nghe-bao-ve-sinh-thai-bien-post570360.html