On August 24, 2021, the Department of Aquatic Resources Conservation and Development (Directorate of Fisheries) and Center for Marrinelife Conservation & Community development (MCD) jointly held an “Online Multistakeholder dialogue on the Draft Vietnam’s National Program for Protection and Development of Fisheries Resources up to 2030 and sharing of Co-management practices in the Central Coast region”. In response to the ongoing Covid -19 pandemic, the dialogue was held through an online platform.

Attending the online dialogue were 40 members representing the Department of Aquatic Resources Conservation and Development (Directorate of Fisheries), the Fisheries Sub-Departments of Quang Nam, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Management Board of Cu Lao Cham Marine Protected Area, People’s Committees of relevant communes, districts of, provinces, experts, key representatives of local communities and social organizations (Fisheries Association) and NGOs. This dialogue aims to update the policy and strengthen the exchange of information and best practices  of co-management in fisheries resources protection and networking opportunities in the central coastal area.

At the event, Representatives of  the Department of Aquatic Resources Conservation and Development (Directorate of Fisheries) presented and highlighted one of key tasks indicated in the  drafted National Program for Aquaculture Protection for the period 2021-2030 is to promote the participation of communities, organizations, individuals in the protection and development of fisheries resources.

The proposed solutions include i) Organizing the implementation of co-management in the protection of fisheries resources in the coastal areas of 28 coastal provinces and cities under the central government and some types of natural water bodies such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, lagoons, and coastal alluvial flats suitable to people’s needs; ii) Strengthen dialogue and cooperation between management levels and other stakeholders such as NGOs, private enterprises, social organizations… and especially the community to remove barriers, overcome problems, encouraging the participation of stakeholders in the protection of fisheries resources and iii) Developing the Fisheries Resources Development and Protection Fund, attracting financial resources from different sources to support programs, projects, and non-project activities in the field of conservation, protection, regeneration and development of fisheries resources.

Representatives of MCD and Fisheries Sub-Departments of Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, and Binh Dinh provinces  updated the current status of co-management practices in fisheries resources protection in their localities, including advantages and disadvantages they faced, and suggested solutions to these challenges. Participants from the People’s Committees of cities and districts, communes in the provinces shared local orientations and their planning scenarios to support the process and decision of allocating rights for co-management and protection of fisheries resources to the community organizations as regulated in the Fisheries Law 2017. Various experts contributed their perspectives and shared experiences in building community organizations and implementing regulations on fisheries resources protection under the Fisheries Law 2017.

The lessons learned from this dialogue and the upcoming activities will contribute to the completion and implementation of the objectives and orientations of the National Program on the protection of fisheries resources such as the proposed pilot project of building the co-management model in the fisheries resources protection under the Fisheries Law 2017 in 07 eco-regions across the country and the scheme on implementing co-management in the protection of fisheries resources.

The online dialogue went well, with the participation and contributions of central and local partners. Prior to this dialouge, MCD organized several training sessions to local community members so that they can become comfortable in working with online tools. This dialogue is a significant event and joint effort  that all participants managed to adapt to strict conditions when the Covid-19 epidemic is still unpredictable,  while protecting fisheries resources and supporting people’s livelihoods always requires continuous attention and actions.

The event is an activity within the framework of the project “Supporting Vietnamese fisheries reform under the Fisheries Law 2017: from national to local action” which is funded by Oceans5 through the Rockefeller philanthropy advisors (RPA) and executed by MCD for the period of 2021-2023. The objective of the project is to support the implementation and scale-up of co-management practices and mobilize the participation of stakeholders and communities in the fisheries resources protection in the Central Coast region of Vietnam that contributes to the improvement and development of sustainable fisheries.

Center for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) is a Vietnamese non-governmental organization established in 2003, pioneering in the field of environmental protection and marine ecosystem conservation, striving to for Vietnam’s coastal areas with a clean and safe environment, sustainable marine ecosystems, and coastal communities with a good quality of life. For more information about MCD, please visit www.mcdvietnam.org