The Role of Marine Protected Areas In Sustainable Fisheries Development In Vietnam

The fisheries industry has made tremendous strides in recent years, developing into a main economic sector for Vietnam and making it one of the world's leading exporters of seafood. In 2023, the overall amount of the fisheries sector's exports was USD 9.29 billion. The overall fishery production was 9.23 million tons, of which 3.8 million tons were exploited, and 5.43 million tons were produced by aquaculture. This result has contributed significantly to the country's economic growth, strengthened livelihoods, and stabilized people's lives in coastal provinces. Marine biodiversity, with an emphasis on marine ecosystems, plays a critical role. As a result, protecting aquatic habitats is a critical challenge that is no longer limited to a single nation or region, but has become a hot news topic and a global concern. In 2017, the National Assembly passed Law on Fisheries that supplements the 2003 law with a focus on the protection and conservation of marine resources and biodiversity to ensure sustainable fishing industry. The 2017 law details Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities and stipulates strict punishments compared to administrative penalties for violations in other fields. It takes into account EU recommendations, and extends to fishery products sourced from illegal fishing for temporary importation, re-export, temporary export, re-import, trans-shipment and transit through Vietnamese territory.

In fact, the marine protected area plays a critical role in sustainable fisheries development in Vietnam by conserving marine biodiversity, preserving marine ecosystems, protecting the traditional fishing grounds. Thus, it contribute the natural resources to maintain livelihoods for 10 millions people to work in fishery sector and associated coastal fishermen communities. Up to now, Vietnam has established and put into operation a network of 12 out of 16 marine protected areas and national parks with marine conservation components. this system of marine protected areas occupies an area of about 0.24% of the sea area of Vietnam. The goal is to reach 6% of Vietnam's sea area by 2030. Marine protected areas hold nearly 70,000 ha of coral reefs, 20,000 ha of seagrass beds and mangroves, most of the breeding grounds, spawning grounds, and habitats of economic aquatic species; nearly 100 endemic and endangered species.

Those, the science evidences of the consequences in the wild fish stock recovery after the marine protected areas established. The country faces challenges between coastal urbanization trends and conservation tasks. It demands strong efforts and commitments from the central government to local authority and stakeholders to expand the total marine areas for protection.

Keywords: marine biodiversity, marine ecosystem, fishery resources, marine protected area.              

*Corresponding author: Nguyen Van Quan, email: quannv@imrer.vast.vn