Viet Nam, WCPFC cooperation to develop sustainable tuna fisheries

On July 28, in Khanh Hoa Province, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Vo Van Hung received and held a working meeting with a delegation from the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), led by Executive Director Rhea Moss-Christian.

The meeting focused on discussing Viet Nam's roadmap to becoming a full member of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), technical assistance, and an assessment of the current state of the country's tuna processing industry.

Ms. Rhea Moss-Christian expressed her appreciation for the productive discussions with technical agencies, local authorities, industry associations, as well as the field visit to a tuna processing enterprise.

The WCPFC Executive Director emphasized that Viet Nam's tuna industry is of significant economic value, generating approximately US$1 billion annually and playing a vital role in the country's economic development. She noted that stakeholders across the sector have demonstrated a strong commitment to improving fisheries management in line with sustainable development objectives, reducing fishing effort while enhancing efficiency, and intensifying efforts to address the European Union's (EU) IUU yellow card.

According to Ms. Rhea Moss-Christian, Viet Nam has made remarkable progress over the past decade. At upcoming WCPFC meetings, greater engagement and more regular information sharing will help Viet Nam strengthen its position, amplify its voice, and garner broader support from member countries. Given that the majority of the tuna raw materials imported by Viet Nam for processing originate from WCPFC member states, the potential for cooperation between the two sides is substantial. Such cooperation would not only support Viet Nam's roadmap toward WCPFC membership but also contribute to the economic development goals of both parties.

On behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Deputy Minister Vo Van Hung highly appreciated the WCPFC's role, describing it not only as a regional fisheries management organization but also as an important multilateral forum where countries exchange experience and promote science-based fisheries governance. He expressed his sincere gratitude for the WCPFC's support in helping Viet Nam enhance awareness, strengthen fisheries management capacity, and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Deputy Minister Vo Van Hung affirmed that Viet Nam fully recognizes the importance of developing the marine economy while ensuring sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities. Combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing has been identified as a top priority, requiring a fundamental shift in both mindset and accountability.

At the same time, Viet Nam continues to face a number of challenges, including completing a shared fisheries database, strengthening policy implementation and the fisheries management system, updating the fishing vessel management system, and improving the transparency of data on imported tuna. Looking ahead, Viet Nam remains committed to implementing a roadmap to reduce fishing effort, enhance the quality of fisheries data management, and place greater emphasis on the management of migratory fish stocks and marine areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment hopes that the WCPFC will continue to support Viet Nam through technical assistance, capacity building, and expert training, while also strengthening cooperation in the sustainable management of tuna fisheries. Such support will help Viet Nam progressively enhance its institutional and technical capacity as it works toward becoming a full member of the WCPFC, enabling the country to fully exercise its rights and fulfill its international obligations as a member.