Small fishing boats off the coast of the central city of Da Nang (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – TheDiplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV), the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and theEmbassy of Australia co-hosted the second Ocean Dialogue in Hanoi on March 15,focusing on fishery cooperation in the East Sea.
The dialogue attracted more than 70 participantsfrom representative agencies of foreign countries and Vietnamese agencies andacademia.
Guest speakers of the dialogue were CaptainMartin A. Sebastian – senior research fellow of the Maritime Institute ofMalaysia; Dr. Shafiah Muhibat from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studiesin Singapore; Wang Guan from the National Institute for South China Sea Studiesof China; and Dr. Vu Thanh Ca from the Vietnam Administration of Seas andIslands.
Opening of the dialogue, DAV Vice President LeHai Binh said for regional countries, fishing in the East Sea brings about morethan simple economic benefits. It strongly affects the socio-economic stabilityand survival of hundreds of millions of people living along coastal areas, hesaid.
However, in the face of overfishing, illegal,unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and the use of destructive catchingmethods, countries bordering the East Sea have the responsibility to developfisheries in a sustainable manner and protect the marine environment, Binhstressed.
He said the dialogue provided experts with avaluable opportunity to share their view and discuss ways to improve fisherycooperation in the region.
Peter Girke, Head of the KAS Office in Hanoi,contended that the fish stocks in the East Sea have been depleted at analarming rate. He argued that cooperation must balance a variety of nationalinterests, such as fishery, protection of the ocean’s ecology and maritimeactivities.
Meanwhile, Stacey Nation, Political Counsellorof the Embassy of Australia, said that her country has a multi-facettedapproach to addressing fishery issues. Australia has been working with Vietnamto foster effective fishery cooperation and will maintain its strong commitmentto bilateral cooperation in the future, she added.
Speakers at the dialogue shared the view that inthe East Sea at present, IUU fishing, the use of destructive fishing methodsand low awareness of environmental protection are the main causes of theserious decline of fisheries resources. Therefore, countries need to comprehensivelyand practically cooperate with one another.-VNA
VNA
