GENERAL INFORMATION

Vietnam, with a coastline of over 3,260 kilometers (km) and more than 3,000 islands and islets scattered offshore, plus up to 2,860 rivers and estuaries, has been geographically endowed with ideal conditions for the thriving fishery sector which currently exists.

Great potential of fishery sector in Vietnam is embedded in water bodies of 1.700.000 ha in which 811.700 ha freshwater, 635.400 ha brackish waters and 125.700 ha coves and 300.000 - 400.000 ha wetland areas might be employed for aquaculture development.

The Mekong River Delta in the south and the Red River Delta in the north have been used for wild catch fishing as well as extensive fish farming.

Shrimp and pangasius mostly farmed in the Mekong River Delta, in which, shrimp farmes located in coastal provinces such as Tra Vinh, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Ben Tre..

Pangasius farming is developing in many provinces in Mekong River Delta such as Can Tho, Vinh Long, Tien Giang, An Giang, Dong Thap, Soc Trang, Hau Giang, Tra Vinh....

Production in the fishery sector grew at an average rate of 7.05% from 1991 to 2000, and 10% from 2001 to now. The country produces annually over 6 million MT of fish, in which its landings reached 2.7 million MT and aquaculture reached 3.3 million MT. In 2021, total fisheries production reached 8.7 million MT, including 3.9 million tons from catching and 4.85 million tons from aquaculture.

Capture output reached more than 1.5 million MT

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the Directorate of Fisheries (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), since the beginning of the year, the total output of fishing in the whole country has reached more than 1.5 million tons, an increase of about 6%. The reason was that the weather in the first 5 months of 2019 was quite favorable and the northeast monsoon winds earlier this year in the waters of Gulf of Tonkin and Central Vietnam did not have big impact on fishing trips.

April and May are the time "end of the Northern fishing season and begin of the Southern fishing season", some bottom fishing activities such as trawl net bring good productivity; rising fish prices.

In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development implements the scheme of developing offshore fishing and organise to bring fishermen to capture in some countries; published a list of 66 storm shelters for fishing vessels in 2019, announced the list of 57 designated fishing ports for the certification of fishing aquatic products ...