Vietnam’s aquatic production and seafood catch picked up in the first
half of 2014 despite complicated developments in the East Sea, the
Directorate of Fisheries said at a conference on June 30.
Over the period, the total output topped 2.86 million tonnes, up 4.4
percent from a year earlier with a 3.4 percent increase in farming yield
and a 5.5 percent rise in fishing operation, statistics show.
The directorate reported that good weather plus stable fuel and seafood prices facilitated fishing activities.
However, the sector’s performance has been affected by tensions in the
East Sea, triggered by China’s illegal placement of the oil rig Haiyang
Shiyou-981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf,
as well as its escort vessels’ intimidation and damage to Vietnamese
fishermen’s properties.
The agency has worked with
authorities of littoral provinces to update fishermen on developments in
the waters, legal regulations, and measures to avoid risks at sea, it
said.
At the same time, by strictly following the
farming schedule, diseases on grown aquatic products were curbed and the
productivity was kept stable, reports added.
For
the rest of the year, the directorate plans to step up the supervision
over the observance of shrimp and tra fish farming regulations, disease
prevention, and the quality of fry and animal feed.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam said the
agency should push up trade promotion in key and new markets while
working harder on negotiations on bilateral cooperation in order to
remove trade barriers to drive exports.
He also
asked it to continue to closely follow the East Sea situation, provide
fishermen with safety guide, and examine ports and wharves for vessels
to take shelter as the storm season is approaching./.