Dr Le Xuan Sinh from Hai Phong-based Institute of Marine Environment and Resources said that green economies helped improve living standards and social equality as well as reducing environmental risks and ecological deficiencies.
Sinh said that people living on islands often faced disadvantages in economic conditions, healthcare, education and other public services.
He said economic activities were usually spontaneous and did not follow any sustainable models. This resulted in poor quality of living standards or islanders were vulnerable to risks of natural disasters and diseases.
“The disadvantages are why there is migration to the mainland. Islands often cannot attract people to live there,” Sinh said.
“Once green economic models are implemented, islanders could better their livelihood and their resilience to climate-change impacts," Sinh said.
"Or at least, they could manage by themselves for a time if the islands are isolated because of natural disasters,” Sinh said.
He said that it was necessary to develop green economy models accompanied by green production and services. Environmental conservation and protection would also ensure bio-diversity in order to have sustainable development.
In addition, aquaculture production must use advanced environmentally friendly technologies while eco-tourism should be made a key industry.
For example, Viet Hai island commune on the east of Cat Hai island district, is the third largest island in Vietnam. There are 88 families or 270 people living on the island, but there is no market. Agricultural production is small and spontaneous, unable to provide enough food for islanders. Most of the food is from the mainland.
Sinh said that the island commune should concentrate on community tourism or home-stay accommodation to take advantage of its location in Cat Ba Nature Reserve. Organic agriculture was another option.
Meanwhile, he said Nhon Chau island commune in the central province of Binh Thuan should take advantages of its beautiful beaches. Eco tourism with sight seeing, diving and fishing would attract visitors. High-tech agriculture should be applied to provide enough food to islanders and visitors as 90 percent of soil on the island is unproductive.
According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Vietnam has more than 3,000 islands and islets with a total area of about 1,700 sq.km. Of those, three islands have more than 100 sq.km each, including Phu Quoc island in southern Kien Giang province, Cai Bau island in Quang Ninh province and
Cat Ba island in Hai Phong city. Twenty three islands have an area of 10 sq.km, 82 islands have 1 sq.km each. About 1,400 islets have not been named.
Groups of islands are said to have potential to become marine economic hubs and logistic centres for on-sea activities, including fishing or tourism. The islands together can create strategic areas to boost socio-economic development, ensure national defence and security.
Island economies could become “pillars for development” spreading development to surrounding areas. In addition to values of landscapes, the marine resources around the islands are crucial to fishing industry and sea tourism.
While more than 200 islands and islets in the country are said to be livable, just 66 have residential areas with populations in 2010 of about 240,000 people.
There are another 2,800 islands and islets unsuitable for human daily life or production.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached US$1.14 billion in August 2026, up 6.4% year on year, bringing the total for the first eight months to more than US$8.0 billion, an increase of 11.9%. Monthly export value remained above US$1 billion, but August growth was only around half the rate recorded cumulatively through the first eight months. This indicates that the eight-month result was supported significantly by stronger performance in earlier months, while market conditions are entering a less predictable period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius is attracting growing interest from Japanese seafood companies as prices of many traditional whitefish species remain high and supply becomes increasingly volatile. Notably, seafood group Kyokuyo has recently continued to feature pangasius among its priority products, highlighting its competitive pricing and stable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As Vietnam’s tilapia industry searches for new growth opportunities, venturing into brackish-water aquaculture could unlock a formidable competitive moat. Bypassing the volume-and-price bloodbath against established global heavyweights, Vietnam could differentiate itself through high-quality tilapia products tailored to specific farming conditions and value-added market segments.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) 2026 is rapidly shaping up to be a formidable stress test for Vietnamese pangasius exports to the United States. While exports to alternative markets maintain a resilient growth trajectory, the U.S market has declined significantly. In the first eight months of the year, pangasius exports to the U.S fell by nearly 14% year-on-year, with August alone recording a decline of more than 50%. The trend shows that difficulties in the U.S. market are not driven solely by weak consumer demand, but also by multiple layers of trade barriers that are intensifying simultaneously, particularly additional import tariffs, anti-dumping duties and growing protectionism for the domestic catfish industry.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Japan are showing positive signals in 2026, indicating that the market is opening up greater opportunities for pangasius products, particularly processed and value-added products. In the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Japan reached US$31 million, up 20% year-on-year. In July alone, export value reached approximately US$5 million, up 30%.
On July 22, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 292/2026/ND-CP detailing certain articles and providing measures for the organization and implementation of the Law on Foreign Trade Management. The Decree takes effect on September 5, 2026, replacing Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese pangasius producer Vinh Hoan has won the top prize at the 2026 Seafood Excellence Asia Awards for its Cured Panga Croquette, highlighting the growing potential of value-added pangasius products in international markets.
(vasep.com.vn) The Global Shrimp Forum (GSF) 2026 is taking place from September 1–3 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, bringing together around 585 delegates from 40 countries, representing approximately 300 companies and organizations across the shrimp supply chain. Representatives from VASEP are attending the event as part of the Vietnamese delegation, strengthening connections with partners across the global shrimp industry.
(vasep.com.vn) At the international B2B seminar (Hosted Buyer Program) held as part of Vietfish 2026, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Pham, Sales Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, delivered a presentation entitled “Vietnam’s Shrimp Industry: Changing for Sustainability.” From the perspective of a seafood processor, the presentation highlighted that Vietnam’s shrimp industry continues to play a leading role in seafood exports, but is entering a new phase of competition in which change is no longer an option, but a prerequisite for growth.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) VIETFISH 2026 may have concluded after three dynamic days in Ho Chi Minh City, but conversations around the exhibition continue to resonate across international trade media, industry organizations, and the social media channels of participating companies.
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