Thorough survey needed to avoid rushing into building ships: President

President Truong Tan Sang has asked authorities of central Khanh Hoa province and relevant agencies to thoroughly survey local fishery reserves and fishing capacity to avoid rushing into building offshore fishing ships, resulting in wastefulness.

President Truong Tan Sang visits fisherman Tran Van Dat in Thanh Dat village, Phuoc Dong communes. (Credit: VNA)

During his fact-finding tour of Khanh Hoa on December 27, he said the province also has to consider the local situation to carry out suitable assistance policies targeting fishermen.

President Truong Tan Sang visited the ship yard of the Nha Trang University’s Institute for Ship Research and Manufacturing, which is building a number of composite fishing ships for fishermen in the region.

Fisherman Tran Van Phat and officials of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said newly-issued fisheries policies have brought hope to fishermen. However, obstacles still exist, especially in the implementation of Decree 67 as few can access preferential bank loans for building fishing vessels.

The leader welcomed feedback on shipbuilding assistance policies and the increase of law enforcement forces at sea, adding that several countries with advanced fishing industries are helping Vietnam improve its fishing and product preservation techniques.

Once local seafood meets quality standards, their product value will increase considerably, he noted.

Meanwhile, the leader also told local agencies to carefully test functions of composite ships constructed using Japanese technology so as to find the models most appropriate to fishermen in terms of price, function, capacity, fuel consumption, and durability.

The same day, he visited fisherman Tran Van Dat, who owns two tuna fishing vessels, in Thanh Dat village, Phuoc Dong communes, and toured the Hon Ro fishing port, which is being upgraded and expected to be a tuna auction centre and one of the five key fisheries facilities of Vietnam.

The Government’s Decree 67, in effect as of August 25, provides a full, systematic and synchronous set of basic policies to encourage fishermen build high-capacity, iron-covered ships capable of fishing offshore, a practice that could earn fishermen higher incomes, and at the same time, contribute to protecting the country’s territorial waters.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has decided that as many as 2,079 new off-shore fishing ships and 205 logistics ships will be built under the Decree.

(Source: nhandan.org.vn)