(vasep.com.vn) A workshop on fish stock assessment in Vietnam waters during the period of 2011-2013 was jointly held by the Research Institute for Marine Fisheries (RIMF) and the Department of Fisheries Resources Exploitation and Protection (DECAFIREP) in Hanoi on March 10 2014. RIMF used a scientific approach in assessing fish stock to provide statistics on fish resources in Vietnam seawater.
Fish stocks in the period of 2011-2013 are lower than previous estimates in the 2000-2005 period. There is an increasing trend in small pelagic fishery resource in the Gulf of Tonkin, the Central and the Southeast waters. Fish stocks in the Southwest water halve from the previous period. The demersal fishery resources also decrease from previous estimates, Deputy Director of RIMF reported.
Researchers suggested that capture production should be remained at 1.7-1.9 million MT. Current capture production by the country hit 2.5 million MT.
Center for Fishing Ground Forecasting has come into operation. By 2015, it targets to issue monthly forecasts, particularly on the stocks of some pelagic species, Vu Van Tam, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development said.