The model of Mobilizing Fishermen to Bring Garbage to Shore has only been in operation for a short time, but has made positive progress. This model is continuing to be implemented with the goal of mobilizing all fishermen in the province to bring garbage, especially plastic waste, to shore.
High consensus
In recent times, the World Wildlife Fund in Vietnam (WWF - Vietnam) has coordinated with departments, branches and localities of Phu Yen to implement many activities to reduce plastic loss into nature, from raising public awareness, educating students to piloting models of waste classification, plastic reduction and bringing waste to shore in aquaculture areas in the province. Up to now, many models have brought positive results and are being maintained and replicated.
In May 2024, WWF - Vietnam coordinated with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to deploy a model of Mobilizing fishermen to bring garbage ashore. Fisherman Tran Van Lam, owner and captain of fishing boat PY90118TS in Phu Dong ward (Tuy Hoa city) said: Since participating in the model, I and the crew members on the boat have realized that the harmful effects of plastic waste on the marine environment are very serious. In addition to the garbage containers provided by the Phu Yen Fishing Port Management Board, my family also equipped many other tools with the purpose of collecting all household waste, torn and damaged fishing gear on the boat to bring it ashore. On my last trip to sea, I brought ashore more than 20kg of various types of garbage, of which about half were water bottles, plastic bags, torn nets, etc.
According to fisherman Dao Duy Nam, owner of fishing boat PY91739TS in Phu Dong ward, after being informed and propagated by WWF-Vietnam staff about the harmful effects of plastic waste, he realized that he had to be responsible for implementing general environmental protection regulations during the process of exploiting seafood at sea. “I also reminded the crew members to raise awareness and responsibility in collecting, classifying and bringing garbage to shore. The sea provides a livelihood for fishermen, so all fishermen need to keep the marine environment clean…”, this fisherman said.
Mr. Ha Vien, Director of Phu Yen Fishing Port Management Board, said: As of July 15, 92 fishing boats of fishermen had brought garbage ashore at 4 fishing ports with a quantity of more than 600kg, of which plastic waste accounted for about 50%. At the ports, Phu Yen Fishing Port Management Board assigned staff to receive waste from fishing boats and continue to classify it for separate treatment. For recyclable waste, boat owners can bring it back, otherwise, a collection area will be arranged for treatment in the direction of selling scrap. The remaining household waste is collected in containers and contracted with transport units to landfills for treatment.
Model expansion campaign
Phu Yen has a long coastline with many lagoons and bays, which is a favorable space for developing the marine economy associated with tourism and aquaculture, seafood exploitation, contributing to job creation and increasing income for people. Phu Yen also identifies marine economic development as one of the key economic strategies for the province's socio-economic development. However, along with economic development, marine environmental pollution is increasing. Coastal areas in the province bear a significant amount of waste, especially plastic waste, mainly from tourism, aquaculture, seafood exploitation and from people's activities on land.
According to Ms. Nguyen Thu Trang, WWF-Vietnam project manager, most of the waste generated from fishing vessel activities, including household waste, broken fishing gear, etc., is not collected but is discharged directly into the sea. This is one of the causes of marine pollution. Currently, WWF-Vietnam is coordinating with Phu Yen departments and branches to build a model to mobilize fishermen to bring waste ashore to reduce the amount of waste, especially plastic waste discharged into the ocean.
“WWF - Vietnam has signed a commitment with about 500 ship owners to participate in the model of Mobilizing Fishermen to Bring Waste to Shore. Up to now, WWF - Vietnam has organized training courses and supported about 1,000 net bags for fishing vessels participating in the model. At the same time, the organization also supports waste storage equipment at 4 ports, each port has 8 handcarts containing 660 liters of waste,” Ms. Nguyen Thu Trang added.
According to the Phu Yen Fishing Port Management Board, every year, the 4 fishing ports managed by the unit receive about 13,500-14,500 fishing boats entering and leaving the port. Activities at the port have generated a large amount of solid waste, with a volume of about 24 tons/year. "Currently, there is a shortage of human resources at the fishing ports, but the Phu Yen Fishing Port Management Board has tried to arrange and deploy them relatively fully to ensure the tasks, especially during peak times, and at the same time allocate more funds to collect, transport, and treat waste from fishing boats brought back to shore," Mr. Ha Vien shared.
The objective of the model of Mobilizing fishermen to bring garbage ashore is to raise awareness of environmental protection, the harmful effects of plastic waste on the natural environment, especially the marine environment for officials, workers and employees of fishing ports, fishermen and business people in the port area. The model also mobilizes and monitors fishermen to bring garbage ashore to reduce the loss of plastic waste to the ocean; improves the collection system at 4 fishing ports to enhance the ability to manage solid waste at the port as well as meet the amount of garbage generated from fishermen bringing garbage ashore, gradually classifying garbage at the source.
Mr. Nguyen Thai Hoa, Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said: The model mobilizes people to participate in activities to reduce plastic, consume green, limit plastic waste emissions, and move towards saying no to single-use plastic products. At the same time, it calls for joint action to make Phu Yen a green - clean - beautiful, environmentally friendly destination.
The model of Mobilizing Fishermen to Bring Trash to Shore was implemented from May to December 2024. The total cost of implementing the model is more than 1.1 billion VND; of which, the funding source from the project to Reduce Ocean Plastic Waste in Vietnam is more than 1 billion VND, the rest is the counterpart funding of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
WWF - Vietnam Project Manager Nguyen Thu Trang |
MR. NGOC
Source: https://baophuyen.vn/82/318864/ngu-dan-tich-cuc-tham-gia-bao-ve-moi-truong.html
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