Unsustainability of Fisheries Management in Developing Countries: Viet Nam Case

Abstract

The main purpose of this research is to analyze the fisheries management policies of Viet Nam including several other developing countries and to draw some meaningful policy implications for bettering Viet Nam’s fisheries management. The research results showed that Viet Nam’s Fisheries management is failing in all categories of six evaluation dimensions of management such as management objective, framework or precaution, regulation and MCS dimensions. Fisheries management of Viet Nam has a little progress, comparing the surveyed results of fisheries management of Viet Nam by UN code 2006 to the adjustments evaluation implemented until 2010. These results indicated that the progress has just referred to the management intentions such as management objective and frameworks but its management effects were very insufficient from the perspective of three dimensions: socks, fleets/gears, and MCS in assessing the actual practice and performance. Viet Nam provide little information about precautionary dimension that is mentioned in management plan. The main reasons for unsustainability in Viet Nam fisheries management is: i) long term management objective has not been translated into management actions, that is, the specific objectives of fisheries management are not made explicit, ii) lack of good scientific evidence available to support fisheries management organization, iii) data base and fisheries information as well as fisheries science are insufficient and/or inaccurate, iv) controlling, monitoring and enforcement are much insufficient at both central and local levels, v) open access fisheries are resulting in overcapacity and/or overcapitalization, vi) conflicts between inshore and offshore fisheries are frequently taking place, and vii) government financial transfers tend to increase overall fishing effort. Such reasons for unsustainability in Viet Nam fisheries management would help Viet Nam fisheries administration develop its better fisheries governance system for improving Viet Nam’s fisheries and/or resources management sustainability.