Hanoi (VNA) - Appropriate policies and regulations willhelp fully exploit untapped potential in developing blue sea economy, whichplays an important role in socio – economic development of Vietnam, according to insiders.

One of challenges to ocean management is how to promote the benefits ofsustainable development goals from the marine realm.

According to Dr. Ta Dinh Thi, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Committeeon Science, Technology and Environment, and former Director of the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands (VASI), Vietnam's marine economic development isstill unsustainable and not harmoniously linked with socialdevelopment and environmental protection.


Serious pollution and environmental incidents have beenstill reported from some waters and coastal areas, while plastic waste pollution hasbecome an urgent problem, he said, adding that Vietnam is also facing imbalanced maritime ecosystem, degrading biodiversity and unrational exploitation of marine resources. 

Besides, Vietnam’s marine science and technology resourcesremain limited, while businesses meet difficulties in accessing new productiontechnologies due to high costs.

These factors make the exploration and exploitation of marineresources remain limited.

On the basis of the need for sustainable development of thenational marine economy, Vietnam has issued Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW datedOctober 22, 2018, on strategy for sustainable development of marine economy to2030, with a vision to 2045.

Under the resolution, attention has been paid to promoting sustainabledevelopment of marine economy on the basis of blue growth, conservation ofbiodiversity and marine ecosystems; ensuring the harmony between economic andnatural ecosystems, conservation and development, the interestsof coastal and land-locked localities; strengthening linkage andrestructuring industries towards improving productivity, quality, efficiency andcompetitiveness; tapping potentials and advantages of the sea to createmotivations for the national economic development.

The resolution also clearly states the goal of sustainablemarine economic development by 2030, in which pure marine economicsectors will make up about 10 percent to the country's GDP. Theeconomies of the 28 coastal cities and provinces are estimated to account for 65-70percent of GDP, while the marine economic sectors will see sustainable developmentaccording to international standards.

The resolution also sets out “breakthroughs”,focusing on perfecting the institution for sustainable development of themarine economy; integrating and unifying the management mechanism for developingsea economy; promoting science and technology development and training high-qualitymarine human resources; and developing concerted infrastructure, and transportnetworks connecting major economic centres of the country, industrial parks,urban areas, coastal areas and seaports.

൩[Huge potential for Vietnam to promote blue economy]

Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyen Chu Hoi, Vice President of the Vietnam FisheriesSociety, said that the development of the blue sea economy requires continuedinstitutional reforms such as building a marine economic development plan onthe basis of blue sea economic development mindset inorder to determine basic and long-term orientations for exploiting marineresources, protecting marine environment, and ensuring the sustainabledevelopment of marine economic sectors.

He emphasised the need to have consistency in the management of the marine economicdevelopment among ministries, sectors and central and local management agencies;and speed up the establishment of information systems on maritime resources andenvironment.

Blue sea economic development is an important orientationamong the socio-economic development activities of the country. In order to achievehigher goals such as the country’s commitment to become a carbon neutral nation by 2050, Vietnamneeds to make good use of  the opportunities to both sustainably develop the marineeconomy and protect marine resources for future development./.