Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Ninh urged ministries, sectors and localities to continue working towards fishery development targets and speed up implementation of relevant policies.

Speaking at a meeting with stakeholders on their enforcement of the Government’s Decree No. 67 on fishery development strategies in Hanoi on January 28, he asked them to reorganise fishery production to ensure effective decree implementation while enhancing offshore operations in tandem with safeguarding the country’s sea and island sovereignty.

The Deputy PM also called for the ministries and sectors’ collaboration in seeking alternative financial sources and improving fishermen’s access to preferential loans.

After five months of decree implementation, the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development has received project proposals from 16 of 28 targeted provinces and cities, according to the ministry’s report.

As many as 12 localities have approved the construction and upgrading of more than 400 vessels and five have provided insurance for vessels, fishing equipment and fishermen worth more than 6.4 trillion VND (304.5 million USD).

More than 380 trillion VND (18 billion USD) has been allocated for the ministry to carry out projects on aquatic products and devise tax incentives in 2015.

During the meeting, participants suggested accelerating appraisal and approval processes by allowing local and commercial banks to join in the Steering Committee on the implementation of the decree.

They also requested expansions to the scope of targeted beneficiaries and services to ensure the comprehensive realisation of the policies.-VNA