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Vietnam discovers valuable species in its waters

Highly valuable fish species have been discovered in the seas around the coast of Vietnam following an investigation by the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Directorate of Fisheries.

The new fisheries include skipjack tuna, Japanese horse mackerel, yellowtail scad, largehead hairtail (also known as beltfish) and catfish, among others.

The Research Institute for Marine Fisheries, part of the fisheries directorate, said the major targets of the investigation were large pelagic fish in all offshore sea areas in the central and southeast regions. Small pelagic fish in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the Tonkin Gulf, in the south-eastern and south-western regions, were also targeted.

Large pelagic species, including members of the Scombridae family of mackerel, tuna and bonitos, black marlin, wahoo, and Indo-Pacific Spanish mackerel, are key species for offshore fishing in Vietnam. They provide high economic value and are an important source of exports, according to the Khánh Hòa Fisheries Association.

Exploratory fishing carried out by the Directorate of Fisheries identified a total of 1,081 marine species in Vietnamese waters, consisting of 881 fish species, 115 crustaceans, 41 types of cephalopods and 44 of other groups.

The quantity of fish, shrimp, crab, squid and octopus in the investigated sea areas is estimated at around 4.36 million metric tons.

The findings of the investigation were presented at a conference in Hanoi at the end of last month as reported by Vietnamese News. Addressing the conference, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vũ Văn Tám, said the country would now begin to fish the new areas in earnest.

“Based on results of the investigation of marine fish resources in the 2011-15 period, orientations to exploit the fish in these sea areas – as well as measures to conserve, protect and develop the resources – have been proposed,” Tám said. “These will ensure that the exploitation and use of the fish will be both adequate and sustainable in order to help restructure the fishery sector and integrate the East Asia region under the framework of Sustainable Development Strategy for the seas of East Asia.”