DECISION

APPROVING THE AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR THE 1999-2010 PERIOD

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government of September 30, 1992;
At the proposal of the Minister of Aquatic Resources

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To approve the aquaculture development program for the 1999-2010 period with the following contents:

I. Objectives

To develop aquaculture in order to ensure food security and create a major source of raw materials for export. To strive to achieve by the year 2010 a total aquaculture output of over 2,000,000 tons, the export value of over 2,500,000,000 USD, to create jobs and generate income for about two million people, thus actively contributing to the national socio-economic development and enhancement of coastal security.

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1. To develop aquaculture along the direction of sustainable development closely associated with the protection of the ecological environment; to ensure production and stabilize the people’s life.

2. Aquaculture must be step by step modernized and developed mainly with the industrial rearing method in combination with other rearing methods suited to the conditions of each region.

3. To strongly concentrate on developing brackish water and sea water aquaculture, and at the same time to develop fresh water aquaculture.

4. To create a drastic change in the rearing of prawn for export, and at the same time to place emphasis on rearing other aquatic resources for domestic consumption and export.

III. Specific objectives

To strive to achieve the following targets by the year 2010:

1. To rear tiger prawn in 260,000 hectares (of which 60,000 hectares under industrial rearing, 100,000 hectares under semi-intensive rearing, 100,000 hectares under the rearing model of ecological equilibrium, rotary rearing and inter-rearing) for the output of 360,000 tons. To achieve the value of exported prawn of 1,400 million USD.

2. To rear marine fish in 40,000 hectares and 40,000 cages with the output of 200,000 tons. They mainly include: Grouper, snapper, law-jaw anchovy, perch, pickerel...

3. To rear mollusk in 20,000 hectares for the output of 38,000 tons. They mainly include: Meretrix, clam, blood ark shell, winkle, pearl oyster, scallop, abalone, marquis...

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5. To rear blue-legged prawn in 32,000 hectares for the output of 60,000 tons.

6. To rear aquatic resources in 100,000 hectares of small lakes and ponds for the output of 480,000 hectares. They mainly include: crossbred carp, tilapia, Asian catfish, grass carp, cirrhina molitorella, goby, angelfish, Vinh pollack-lench (tolstolobyk), snake-head, gourami, pollack-lench, trionychid turtle, eel, frog...

7. To rear aquatic resources in 220,000 hectares of low-lying rice fields for the output of 170,000 tons. They mainly include: carp, tilapia, catfish, gourami, spotted snake-head...

8. To rear aquatic resources in 300, 000 hectares of reservoir, in rivers with 30,000 cages, for the output of 228,000 tons. These aquatic resources mainly include: Pangasius pangasius hamiton (basa), Asian catfish, goby, tilapia, carp, cirrhina molitorella, grass carp, rohu, mrigan...

IV. A number of major solutions:

1. Regarding planning

To review and adjust the aquaculture development planning in combination with elaborating concrete investment projects, which are closely associated with the local irrigation and sea dyke development plan, so as to raise the investment efficiency and effectively use land and water surface for aquaculture.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the Ministry of Aquatic Resources in making a master plan on the sea dyke system and approving dyke construction investment projects related to aquaculture.

The Ministry of Aquatic resources shall plan and determine the number of breeding stations in each region and each locality, particularly prawn and fish breeding farms to meet the demand of large-scale production to provide raw materials for export.

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To develop the domestic market to meet the people’s increasing demand for aquatic products; at the same time to strongly expand the export outlets by maintaining and expanding the existing markets while actively seeking for new markets. The market development must be closely associated with the scientific and technological renewal, the quality improvement, cost reduction and aquatic product diversification as well as raising sustained competitiveness of Vietnamese aquatic goods during the process of international integration.

3. Regarding the capital

The capital invested in the aquaculture program shall be mobilized from the following sources:

- The State budget capital (including loans and official development assistance capital of foreign Governments and financial support of international organizations);

- Medium-term and long-term credit capital;

- Short-term credit capital;

- Capital mobilized from organizations, individuals and population communities;

- Foreign direct investment capital.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance, the State Bank and related ministries and branches in working out solutions to balance the capital sources and incorporate them into yearly plans, submit these plans to the Government for decision on investment in projects to implement the program.

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To re-organize and enhance the research and production capability of the breed system at all levels; the capability to protect the natural breed and reproduction grounds of prawns and fish and preserve pools of precious and rare genes; to ensure the timely and sufficient supply of good breeds at reasonable prices for aquaculture, including importing necessary breeds and breeding technologies.

5. Regarding industrial feed and supplies for aquaculture

To invest in upgrading and building new enterprises to produce industrial feeds and fish powder; to import necessary raw materials and technologies for domestic production of good-quality industrial feed at reasonable prices in order to meet 60% of the aquaculture demand in the 2000 - 2005 period and 80% in the 2006 - 2010 period.

To fully and synchronously supply materials and equipment to meet the aquaculture demand.

6. Regarding science and technology

To promote scientific research and import of technologies, first of all concentrate on the breed production to achieve the artificial reproduction of major breeds and strive for the artificial reproduction of some specialty breeds; to study and perfect technologies to rear major aquatic resources in fresh water, brackish water and sea water; to adopt measures to prevent and control diseases and epidemics; to study and develop feed production technologies and post-harvest as well as processing technologies.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment shall allocate investment capital for scientific research on the basis of the annual proposals and concrete projects of the Ministry of Aquatic Resources.

7. Regarding the training and fostering of technical employees and laborers

To strengthen the capabilities and material and technical bases of research institutes and colleges of the water resources branch, to coordinate with research institutes and colleges of other branches in training the contingent of researchers, managers and technicians in technologies of rearing, breed production, environmental treatment, disease and epidemic diagnosis and prevention, feed production, post-harvest preservation; at the same time to provide training in various forms in rearing techniques as well as disease and epidemic prevention for farmers and fishermen.

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On the basis of the planning of each region, to regard the household economy and farm economy as the key models of production organization, which are closely linked to the development of appropriate economic cooperation forms, in order to tap all resources among the population, to encourage mutual assistance in production and effective prevention and control of natural calamities, contributing to the protection of ecological environment and restrict the adverse effects of the market mechanism.

State enterprises shall play the leading role in providing production and product consumption services, with importance being attached to such services as breeding, rearing techniques services, provision of industrial feed, prevention and control of diseases and epidemics.

9. Regarding the fishery promotion work

To improve and renew the activities of the fishery promotion system from the central to grassroots level, to raise the effectiveness of fishery promotion activities, to develop models for the transfer of technologies concerning advanced rearing methods to help the people to develop aquaculture.

10. Regarding international cooperation

- To encourage joint ventures with foreign investors to invest in aquaculture, industrial production of feed, aquatic breeds, renewal of rearing technologies and technologies to process aquatic products for export.

- To promote cooperation in scientific research and technology transfer in the following fields: Artificial reproduction, inheritance, breed selection and sex transformation of a number of breeds of precious species, prevention and control of diseases and epidemics and environmental treatment.

- The Ministry of Aquatic Resources shall coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and concerned ministries and branches in calling for financial support from foreign countries and international organizations so as to have more direct investment sources and train personnel.

V. Regarding policies

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- To assign or lease land, water surface, straits, bays, swamps and lagoons and large water reservoirs already incorporated in the planning to different economic sectors for stable and long-term aquaculture under the Government’s Decree No. 85/1999/ND-CP of August 28, 1999.

- Saline fields, low-lying fields, land for salt-making and water-logged land with unstable and ineffective rice production may be shifted for aquaculture.

2. Investment policy

2.1. All economic sectors are encouraged by the State to invest in aquaculture development under the Domestic Investment Promotion Law (amended) and current regulations.

- The State shall adopt policies to lend capital to poor farmers and fishermen, who have labor and land for aquaculture, without having to mortgage their properties.

- Farmers and fishermen in remote, deep-lying and island areas who borrow capital for aquaculture development shall be entitled to preferential regimes as prescribed.

2.2. The State budget capital shall be invested in:

- Planning and building the technical infrastructure in service of concentrated aquaculture areas, which includes: surrounding dykes, water supply and drainage canals of grade I, large sluices and pump stations, fish harbors, fish markets and the technical infrastructure in national fish wharves and markets in key fishing areas.

- Building and perfecting the national breeding centers, renovating and upgrading the breeding farms of grade I.

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- Constructing observation, environmental forecast and quarantine stations.

- Building national areas for nature preserves.

- Developing human resources.

- Fishery promotion activities.

- Managing and administering program activities.

2.3. Medium-term and long-term credit capital shall be invested in renovating, upgrading and building new feed and fish powder production establishments, breeding establishments of grades I and II and renovating ponds and swamps of various economic sectors.

2.4 Short-term credit capital shall be invested in the production of and trading in breeds, feeds, curative drugs for prawns, fish and supplies used exclusively for aquaculture.

2.5. Foreign investment capital through projects shall be invested in technical support, consultancy, training, import of new technologies, technology transfer and fishery promotion.

3. Regarding taxes:

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- Aquaculture on agricultural land and water surface shall be subject to the tax policies prescribed in the Law on Agricultural Land Use Tax currently in force.

- Transportation of aquatic breeds to remote, deep-lying areas and islands shall be exempt from tax.

VI. Organization of implementation

1. The Ministry of Aquatic Resources shall direct and organize the implementation of the program nationwide and have the following tasks:

- To guide the localities to formulate their respective programs, investment plans and concrete projects for the implementation of the program; synthesize and submit them for approval and evaluation as prescribed.

It shall assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Science, Technology and Environment as well as other concerned ministries and branches in experimentally developing three models of rearing prawn by the industrial method (in the northern, central and southern regions) so as to determine the investment amount, investment efficiency and set the orientation for the coming years.

- To supplement and concretize the program implementation measures; hold annual preliminary and sum-up reviews to determine good models for a large-scale application, to propose timely and appropriate policies to promote the drive.

- To work out the State’s and the branch’s criteria for the rearing and breeding process, the protection of the ecological environment, the prevention and control of diseases and epidemic, etc., then submit them to the Prime Minister for promulgation or promulgate them according to its competence.

- To consolidate and strengthen the operational capability of the research institutions and the fishery promotion organizations.

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3. The People’s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities shall have to formulate their respective aquaculture development programs in conformity with the national program; to balance the local budgets and earmark a reasonable portion of capital together with the capital source of the central Government for the implementation of their programs; to direct the formulation of concrete projects and submit them for approval as prescribed; at the same time to organize and direct the program implementation in their respective localities; to hold preliminary and sum-up reviews and report on the implementation results.

Article 2.- This Decision takes effect 15 days after its signing.

The Ministry of Aquatic Resources shall assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the concerned ministries and branches in guiding and directing the implementation of this program.

Article 3.- The ministers, the heads of ministerial-level agencies, the heads of agencies attached to the Government and the presidents of the People’s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities shall have to implement this Decision.

FOR THE PRIME MINISTER
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER




Nguyen Cong Tan