Haiphong Fishing Industry - A New Stage of Development

Haiphong Fishing Industry - A New Stage of Development

With a 125km coastline, Haiphong has many large fishing reserves, with around 40,000 to 50,000 tonnes of seafood caught each year. Haiphong also has a large system of rivers and channels, with five river mouths opening to the sea and more than 45,000 ha of water surface area, including 17,000 ha of sea water area, 15,000 ha of brackish water area and 13,000 ha of fresh water area, contributing to the diverse fishing environment of the region.  Haiphong is home to the largest seaport in the North of Vietnam, key to regional trade. It is also quite close to China’s border, and involved in small volume trading with the northern neighbour.

With the above-mentioned advantages, the operating activities of the seafood and related industries of Haiphong have made many positive developments. The total seafood production output of 2003 was over 62,000 tonnes, a 300 per cent increase since 1990. The average annual increase in production value from 1989 to date is 145 per cent, of which, the annual average production value increased at a rate of 20 per cent in the 2000 – 2003 period. The field of export processing gained US$7 million in 1996, US$25 million in 2000 and US$70 million in 2004, ten times higher than that of 1996 and accounting for 10 per cent of the city’s annual total export value.

The fishing industry has been upgraded both in infrastructure and production facilities to meet modern requirements. There have been 13 new fishing co-operatives, six joint stock companies and more than 200 private enterprises established with total registered capital of VND240 billion (US$15.3 million). Infrastructure such as fishing ports, fishing logistic areas in Bach Long Vi, Ngoc Hai (of Do Son), and Cat Ba have been invested in. The living standard of most inhabitants here has remarkably improved.

The city's twelfth Communist Party committee resolution has stated clearly: "Seafood industries should be strongly developed, in which fish breeding, deep sea fishing, processing and other logistical services should be focus areas. Haiphong will be developed as a service centre for fish breeding, feed, science and technology, processing and exporting of the whole Northern region. Seafood should be considered one of the key industries in the economy strategy of the city".

By the year 2010, Haiphong's seafood industry targets an output of 120,000 tonnes, 2.5 times more than that of 2001; the export value is projected to reach about US$160 -180 million, 2.8 - 3.3 times higher than that of 2001. The production value growth rate will stand at about 13 - 15 per cent per year. By 2010, the seafood industry should account for 5.75 per cent of the city’s GDP.

In order to reach these objectives, Haiphong’s seafood industry must continue to focus on detailed planning, so that there will be distinct areas for fisheries establishments and modern shrimp raising areas with high productivity, which will help the development of related processing industries and increase the living standards of local people.

• Hoang Thiep