Proposing marine spatial planning based on economic value chains

Challenges related to marine zoning, marine spatial planning, and access to development resources are emerging as some of the most significant obstacles to Viet Nam’s ambition of making the marine economy a new engine of growth.

As the country pursues ambitious economic growth targets for the years ahead, the key question is no longer simply how to improve the management of activities at sea. Rather, the challenge is how to simultaneously safeguard marine resources and the environment while unlocking the development potential and resources needed to drive sustainable economic growth.

Speaking at the National Workshop on "Improving Institutions and Policies to Promote Sustainable Marine Economic Development," Dr. Pham Ngoc Son, former Acting Director General of the Viet Nam Agency of Seas and Islands, argued that the key to the current legislative revision lies in shifting decisively from a mindset of “marine management” to “marine governance.”

His remarks come at a time when the marine economy has been identified as one of Viet Nam’s long-term development pillars. Under Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW on the Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Viet Nam’s Marine Economy to 2030, marine-based industries are expected to contribute approximately 10% of the country’s GDP.

To achieve this target, Dr. Son suggested that the current management model requires a fundamental transformation. Traditionally, marine management has largely followed a sector-based approach, with each industry developing its own plans, resource use strategies, and development objectives. While this model has enabled individual sectors to capitalize on their strengths, it has also resulted in frequent overlaps and conflicts in the use of marine space and resources.

This was one of the key reasons why the 2015 Law on Marine and Island Resources and Environment introduced, for the first time, the concept of integrated marine resource management and environmental protection. The law established a range of governance tools, including inter-sectoral and inter-regional coordination mechanisms, marine spatial planning, integrated coastal zone management, and cooperation frameworks among ministries, sectors, and local authorities.

After more than a decade of implementation, these instruments have laid an important foundation for marine governance. According to Dr. Son, many coastal localities have gradually established coastal protection corridors, helping to curb encroachment on public coastal spaces and improve coastal landscapes. For example, the coastal area of Cua Lo has become significantly more open and accessible than in previous years thanks to the implementation of coastal corridor management measures.

However, these initial achievements are no longer sufficient to meet the demands of a new development phase. While the previous priority was to regulate resource exploitation and minimize conflicts of interest, the greater challenge today is to transform the sea into a dynamic space for economic development. This requires legislation that goes beyond regulation and control to actively encourage investment, innovation, and the efficient utilization of marine resources.

"If the law is revised only to strengthen management without promoting the development of the marine economy, then the task cannot be considered accomplished," Dr. Son said.

According to the expert, the concept of marine governance is far broader than that of marine management. While management focuses on oversight, monitoring, and maintaining order, governance requires the State to act as a coordinator, facilitator, and enabler of development. In practice, this means that government agencies should not merely issue regulations but also work alongside businesses, local communities, and other stakeholders in the sustainable use and development of marine space.

This perspective is consistent with modern approaches to marine governance adopted by many countries, where decision-making is no longer based solely on sector-specific interests but instead follows an ecosystem-based approach that takes into account broader and shared benefits.

In addition to changing governance thinking, the former Acting Director General also called for reforms in marine zoning and marine spatial planning. He argued that the sea should be viewed as a single, interconnected system. Ocean currents, marine ecosystems, shipping activities, fisheries, and renewable energy development are all closely linked, meaning that decisions made in one area can quickly affect conditions in another.

Therefore, he warned that if the current sector-based zoning approach continues, the risks of overlapping activities, resource conflicts, and inefficient use of marine space will only become more pronounced.

Instead, Dr. Son suggested that marine spatial planning should be organized around integrated economic development zones or value-chain-based development spaces. Such an approach would enable more efficient use of marine resources while reducing conflicts among different economic sectors competing for the same marine space.

He also emphasized the need for Viet Nam to invest more heavily in basic marine surveys, digital data systems, and enhanced real-time monitoring and observation capabilities. Although these areas were identified in the 2015 Law on Marine and Island Resources and Environment, further efforts are needed to fully develop and implement them.

More importantly, the planning and decision-making process should ensure meaningful participation from businesses, citizens, and coastal communities. While the current law already recognizes the principle of community participation in marine resource and environmental management, Dr. Son argued that this principle should be translated into stronger and more concrete mechanisms in the upcoming revision.

As the National Assembly and the Government undertake a broad institutional review to remove barriers to development, many experts believe the marine economy requires a similar reform effort.

Mr. Hoang Thanh Vinh, an official with the United Nations Development Programme, noted that one of the greatest challenges facing marine economic development lies in implementation at the local level. According to him, local authorities need more detailed guidance on marine zoning and stronger institutional capacity for marine management.

The UNDP representative also highlighted the need for coordination mechanisms capable of resolving conflicts over marine space use among sectors such as fisheries, conservation, and tourism.