Nice (VNA) – Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Minister for Environmental Protection and Green Transition of Croatia Marija Vučković co-chaired a panel discussion themed “Fostering sustainable fisheries management including supporting small-scale fishers” in Nice, France, on June 11 (local time).
This was the fifth of the 10 panel discussions within the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3), bringing together about 600 delegates.
In his remarks, Son emphasised that sustainable fisheries are closely linked to the implementation of several other sustainable development goals, yet remain a complex issue with overlapping challenges.
Addressing these challenges requires a scientific approach tailored to the specific conditions of each country, he stressed.
The official briefed the participants on Vietnam’s major policies and initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable fisheries management—striking a balance between securing livelihoods and economic development, while protecting the environment and conserving fish stocks.
For her part, Vučković described fisheries, particularly the small-scale segment, as a vital pillar of local economies, providing livelihoods and nutrition for millions of people worldwide—and therefore must be preserved at all costs.
Ensuring the sustainability of fisheries requires adaptability to changing conditions, improved practices, and collective action, she said, sharing Croatia’s experience in this regard.
Meanwhile, Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), highlighted the vital role of fisheries in ensuring global food security and praised Vietnam as a model for transitioning from capture fishing to aquaculture in Asia.
The delegates called for stronger cooperation within multilateral frameworks and mechanisms in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
They also underscored the crucial role of fisheries in providing food and nutrition, contributing significantly to poverty reduction and economic development, as well as the need for capacity building and financial support for developing countries./.
Foreign ministers of Vietnam, New Zealand meet on UN Ocean Conference sidelines
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son had a meeting with New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters on the sidelines of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France, on June 9.
