Xuan Hai fishing port in Song Cau township’s Xuan Hai commune in the central coastal province of Phu Yen. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands (VASI) under the Ministry of NaturalResources and Environment (MoNRE) has completed and submitted an overall planning project on the sustainableexploitation and use of resources in coastal areas to the appraisal council, said deputy director Nguyen Thanh Tung.
A national marine spatialplanning project is being finalised, he said, noting that these are also two main tasksof the administration in the last six months of 2023.
The overall planning project on the sustainable exploitation and use of resources in coastal areas will be completed in line with suggestions of the appraisal council before submitting to thePrime Minister for approval, Tung said.
He held that the MoNRE hasreceived opinions from the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, 20 ministries and ministerial-level agencies and 28 coastal provincesand centrally-run cities, adding that most of them agreed with the contents of the draft overall planning project.
In the second half of this year, the administration will reviewthe implementation of the Law on Marine and Island Resources and Environmentand advise the MoNRE to carry out the strategy for sustainableexploitation of natural resources and environmental protection of sea andislands by 2030, with a vision to 2045 which was approved by the Government inApril this year.
VASIwill strengthen management and supervision in the exploitation of naturalresources and environmental protection of sea and islands as well as monitorthe implementation of organisations and individuals after being licensed forscientific research in Vietnam's territorial waters, granting permits for dumping, andassigning sea areas and dealing with consequences of oil spills andenvironmental incidents at sea.
Regarding internationalcooperation activities, the administration is preparing to organise the 15th East Asian Partnership Council Meeting hosted by Vietnam andimplement the project on reducing ocean plastic waste, Tung said.
He alsopointed out shortcomings in resources management and environmental protection of sea and islands. For example, regulationson natural resources and the environment of sea and islands are still sensitive andcomplicated, especially on the allocation and use of sea areas, so it is difficult to amend andperfect them.
Some coastal localities have not paid dueattention to resources management and environmental protection of sea andislands, Tung said./.
