Tuna fishermen in Vietnam will soon have to adhere to a new management plan following its approval by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).
The plan, for the period 2015 to 2020, will see the implementation of regulations and management tools for the country’s tuna resources, which will be aligned with fisheries laws and international treaties that Vietnam has already agreed to or will be willing to join.
A vessel monitoring system (VMS) for tuna fishing will also be introduced.
Expected outcomes include enhanced traceability, as all tuna landed will be counted. In addition, it is planed that investigations for estimating tuna sources will be carried out annually, while the fishing fleet control would be updated on a monthly basis.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the “ultimate goal” is to manage tuna production consistently with international standards.
