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| The workshop “Norway-Vietnam: Promoting cooperation in marine aquaculture” was held in Nha Trang on June 5. (Photo: PH) |
On May 6, in Khanh Hoa, Innovation Norway - Chamber of Commerce, Norwegian Embassy in Hanoi in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries (DFish) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Khanh Hoa province organized the Workshop "Norway-Vietnam: Promoting cooperation in marine aquaculture".
The workshop was attended by Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Hilde Solbakken; Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Khanh Hoa province Le Van Hoan; Director of the Department of Fisheries Tran Dinh Luan and Commercial Counselor of the Norwegian Embassy, Director of Innovation Norway office in Hanoi Arne Kjetil Lian.
The event also gathered about 100 delegates from central management agencies such as the Department of Fisheries, Department of Science, Technology and Environment; Department of Fisheries - Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of coastal provinces of Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen, Ba Ria Vung Tau, Nghe An, Quang Tri, Kien Giang...; research institutes, universities; Vietnam marine aquaculture associations; international organizations, non-governmental organizations; a large number of Norwegian and Vietnamese enterprises representing different segments in the aquaculture chain...
The workshop aims to create a forum for stakeholders from the public, private and research sectors to discuss the roadmap for sustainable aquaculture development and the roles of stakeholders in that process.
The importance of innovation and technological solutions to the development of the industry as well as how to train a skilled workforce to meet the industry's requirements were also part of the event's agenda.
Two special speakers from the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, Ms. Anne B. Osland and Mr. Erlend Hopsdal Skjetne, shared important information on how the Norwegian Government develops policies, standards and technical regulations for marine fish farms, ensuring the conformity of licensing procedures with marine spatial planning, taking into account requirements for environmental protection and marine biodiversity.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Solbakken affirmed: “This event creates a new momentum for Norway-Vietnam bilateral cooperation in the field of fisheries and to implement the Letter of Intent between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries signed in 2021 on Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation in the Marine Aquaculture Sector”.
“As an ocean nation, marine industries, including fishing and aquaculture, are vital to Norway’s economic growth and to the employment of our large coastal communities,” Ambassador Solbakken stressed.
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| Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Hilde Solbakken speaks at the Workshop. (Photo: PH) |
According to the Ambassador, good governance of seas and ocean resources is important to ensure that marine economic sectors can develop harmoniously together and with the environment.
A key factor behind Norway's success story as the world's leading seafood producer and exporter is the ability to maintain open dialogue and mutual trust between government, industry and research institutions.
"This is clearly demonstrated through the content we shared at the Workshop today. These are typical examples of what Norway has done," Ms. Solbakken emphasized.
Mr. Tran Dinh Luan, Director of the Department of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that although there is great potential for developing the marine aquaculture industry, Vietnam still faces many challenges, including unsynchronized infrastructure, simple machinery and equipment, and a lack of highly qualified workers. With a long coastline, Vietnam and Norway have many similarities and many common concerns.
"Therefore, studying Norway's successful experiences and lessons will contribute to providing suggestions to help us solve current difficulties as well as build appropriate policies to develop the marine aquaculture industry more strongly and sustainably," Mr. Tran Dinh Luan emphasized.
Ms. Anne B. Osland, Director of Aquaculture Licensing, Directorate for Aquaculture and Coastal Management, Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, shared that, in the trend of shifting to sustainable aquaculture activities, in order to continue to develop, the Norwegian aquaculture industry must focus on sustainable processes. The starting point is to have effective planning and policies, creating a favorable environment for the development of the industry.
“Norway has a lot of experience to share in terms of policy development processes with strict technical standards and regulations related to licensing of marine aquaculture, also known as offshore aquaculture, and the operation of aquaculture facilities to ensure productivity while minimizing impacts on marine ecosystems,” she said.
Today, aquaculture is one of Norway's largest export sectors, after oil and gas. It has become a highly productive, specialized and professionalized industry, employing more than 8,000 people in coastal communities.
Innovation and the development of new technologies are key to ensuring future success. Research and development of new, more sustainable production processes can take place across the entire value chain, with the private sector playing a key role.
Close cooperation between government, industry and academia has been a key factor in the success of the Norwegian aquaculture industry. As a result, technology and sustainability are now becoming a common trend that dominates the industry.
Meanwhile, Vietnam is implementing the Project on Developing Marine Aquaculture to 2030, with a vision to 2045, approved by the Prime Minister on October 4, 2021, to develop marine aquaculture in a synchronous, safe, effective, sustainable and environmentally friendly manner, creating branded products to meet domestic and foreign demand, creating jobs and increasing income for coastal communities.
Reducing exploitation and increasing aquaculture is also considered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as a policy to help balance human needs with marine resource conservation and sustainable development. Therefore, switching to offshore aquaculture, developing industrial-scale fish farming, aiming for export, and improving the quality and value of Vietnamese seafood will be an inevitable trend.
An interesting detail shared at the Workshop was that some of Norway’s offshore fish farms are open to the public for information and education purposes. This shows that marine economic sectors do not always conflict but can complement each other and thrive together.
Conference participants also had the opportunity to participate in a field trip to visit the fish farm of Australis Vietnam Co., Ltd. in Van Phong Bay, Khanh Hoa Province to learn about industrial marine farming methods and automated system equipment that help reduce carbon emissions from aquaculture activities.
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