Viet Nam to raise marine environmental standards in fisheries sector

On November 26 in Hanoi, the Directorate of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Embassy of Canada to Vietnam, held the Conference on Environmental Protection in Fisheries Activities 2025.

The conference was attended by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien, Director General of the Directorate of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance Tran Dinh Luan, Ambassador of Canada to Viet Nam Jim Nickel, and UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam Ramla Khalidi.

Other delegates were representatives of Departments of Agriculture and Environment of provinces and cities, fishing port management boards, marine protected area management boards, research institutes, universities, enterprises, associations, and various international organizations such as WWF-Viet Nam and IUCN.

Within the framework of the project "Viet Nam Climate-Smart Coastal Communities" (VN-CSCC), funded by the Government of Canada, the event is a key highlight in the review of the three-year implementation of Decision 911/QD-TTg on environmental protection in fisheries activities for the 2021–2030 period.

This year's conference is not merely a technical review; it is likened to a "progress checkpoint" for the 2022–2025 period while also opening an in-depth discussion to define strategic directions for 2026–2030—a pivotal phase for bringing the fisheries sector closer to a green and circular development model.

In his directive remarks, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien emphasized that the fisheries sector has risen to become one of the country’s key economic pillars, ranking third in export value and identified as one of the five spearhead marine economic sectors creating breakthroughs under Viet Nam's Marine Strategy to 2030. In the first nine months of 2025, total output reached 7.26 million tons, up 3.2% compared to the same period in 2024. In the first ten months of 2025, export value was estimated at USD 9.5 billion, increasing by 16% over the same period in 2024 and accounting for more than 7% of global seafood trade.

However, the fisheries sector remains heavily dependent on natural resources and ecosystems. The sector is also facing increasingly complex challenges, such as the IUU yellow card, market volatility, international competition, climate change impacts, and particularly the risk of environmental pollution, a factor that directly affects resource quality and fishermen's livelihoods and may even arise from the sector's own production activities if not strictly managed.

The Deputy Minister affirmed that sustainable, responsible, and environmentally friendly fisheries development is the inevitable path. Strengthening waste management, advancing technological innovation, promoting digital transformation, and mobilizing the participation of the whole society will create the foundation for producing high-quality, high-value Vietnamese seafood products at reasonable costs. These products will both deliver economic efficiency and ensure no harm to the environment and natural ecosystems.

In addition, during the 2022–2025 period, ministries, sectors, localities, associations, research institutes, universities, and enterprises have achieved significant results in implementing Decision 911. Specifically, pollution control in aquaculture, fishing, and seafood processing has gradually improved; numerous innovative environmental models have been deployed, from waste monitoring and aquaculture management to technological applications in environmental treatment. Monitoring, warning, and researching pollutant sources have been strengthened, while an environmental data system serving the sector has initially been developed in the direction of modernization.

Alongside the above-mentioned achievements, the conference also reviewed the major challenges in implementing Decision 911, including unsynchronized environmental infrastructure, limited pollution control capacity in some localities, slow innovation in waste treatment technologies, and the continued need to raise public awareness.

Many delegates from Hanoi, Gia Lai, Hue, Can Tho, and other localities shared their perspectives and proposed solutions for the 2026–2030 period, in line with the task groups on prevention, monitoring, treatment, and environmental restoration under Decision 911.

Ms. Ramla Khalidi, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam, affirmed, "A sustainable marine economy is not only a moral imperative but also a smart economic choice for the future. UNDP will continue to accompany Viet Nam in protecting marine ecosystems, improving governance efficiency, and safeguarding the livelihoods of millions who rely on the sea. To move further, Viet Nam needs to prioritize long-term investments in modern monitoring infrastructure, strengthen cross-sectoral linkages, expand the role of communities, and create conditions for businesses to participate with the spirit of regarding sustainable development as a new growth driver."

The afternoon session focused on an issue receiving global attention: the management of ocean plastic waste in the fisheries sector.

Representatives from IUCN, WWF-Viet Nam, the Research Institute for Marine Fisheries, localities, and international organizations shared their experiences in implementing anti-plastic waste projects, waste collection and recycling activities, community initiatives, and pilot models in Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai, Can Tho City, Hue City, and other localities.

The VN-CSCC project, running from 2024 to 2030, includes multiple components directly linked to Decision 911 and Decision 687. These activities help Viet Nam fulfill its international commitments on biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable fisheries development.

The conference concluded with a common spirit that protecting the environment in fisheries activities is not only a task of state management but also a collective responsibility of the entire society.

The 2026–2030 period is identified as a phase of acceleration, where governance capacity, technological innovation, and the roles of local governments and fishing communities will determine the success of building a green, clean, and responsible fisheries sector.