In Vietnam, coastal fisheries are considered by fishers and the government to be over-exploited and the proportion of low value/trash fish in the total catch of these fisheries, continue to rise. Low value/trash fish have contributed a large part in the total catch of trawl fisheries. At the moment, there are no specific regulations for trawl fisheries management as well as bycatch and discard reduction for these fisheries in Vietnam. In addition, agencies such as the provincial Departments of Capture Fisheries and Resource Protection have also lacked the resources of staff or budget to provide the required management, monitoring, surveillance, or regulation enforcement in both Vietnam’s inshore and offshore waters. There is a need to develop specific regulations and to strengthen monitoring, surveillance for trawl fisheries in Vietnam. This report reviews existing national and international legal, policy and institutional arrangements for the management of trawl fishing operations in order to produce a first draft of a National Circular for trawl fisheries in Vietnam. TOR/Purpose of mission/description of tasks The objectives of this assignment are threefold (1) to review and analyze Vietnam’s existing legal, policy and institutional arrangements for the management of Vietnam’s trawl fishing operations, conservation and management activities to reduce bycatch of trawl fisheries; (2) to analyze and identify potential gaps and divergences between national and international/regional (especially those of the FAO) legal and policy arrangements and requirements and identify how to improve Vietnam’s legal, policy and institutional arrangements in order to enhance compliance with international and regional requirements for trawl fisheries and subsequent activities; and produce a check-list with these gaps and divergences as well as recommendations to address them; and (3) to explore the issues/regimes of trawl fisheries management in Vietnam in order to produce a first draft of a practical and effective National Circular for trawl fisheries.

Nguyen, T. (2014). Consultancy Report A Review of Legal and Polict Frameworks and Development od A National Circular on Trawl Fisheries Management and Bycatch Reduction in Vietnam. Training Department, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center.