Report Data Collection of Trawl Fisheries bycatch in Kien Giang, Vietnam

Abstract

This report presents the outcomes of catch and bycatch data collection in Vietnamese trawl fisheries within the framework of the project “Strategies for trawl fisheries bycatch management” (REBYC-II CTI). The study involved the on board catch sampling of the bottom otter trawl fishery and the pair trawl fishery in Kien Giang province in Vietnam. Results show that trawl catches are composed of a large number of species and with a very high bycatch proportion (accounting for about 50% of the total catch). High amount of bycatch creates various difficulties in management perspectives and have to be addressed. It is proposed that a routine bycatch sampling and data collection scheme at Kien Giang province is established. In addition, better trawl fishery management regime, including the development and approval of trawl fishery management plan to reduce fishing effort on these fisheries, will be necessary.