Page 90 - Agricultural innovation

right” for fisheries. This is a great motivation for the development of the Fisheries Association because
fishermen always want to have a long-term use right in the fishing ground, officially recognized in
writing by the State. The effort and money of fishermen spending in the structure of organizing together
in the short term to protect the fishing grounds, preserve and regenerate the common aquatic resources
with the State, should be ensured in the long term for the use of fishery products for stable income.
Initially, fishermen were more responsible for developing and implementing fishery management plans
in their fishing grounds and farming areas instead of relying on the State. After all, it is only natural
because fisheries resources and the ability to convey the environment are only to serve the livelihoods
of local fishermen.
On the practical side, fishing rights have been officially granted to 47 Fisheries Associations,
covering more than 73% of the lagoon area, and 23 Aquatic Protection Areas with a total strictly
protected area of 614.2 hectares (approximately 2.5% of the lagoon area). Since 2014, the coastal marine
fishery has also assigned six pilot fishing licenses/rights to six associations of coastal marine fisheries
for management and exploitation. Thus, along with the assigned rights and interests, the fishing
community and the grassroots Fisheries Association will have more responsibility in managing and
protecting fishing grounds and aquatic resources.
In addition to the limited state funding, there have been seven domestic and international non-
governmental organizations joining to mobilize investment resources from the society, especially the
efforts of fishermen and NGOs and projects have been interested, funded, and provided technical
support in terms of surveying, developing documents, proposing the establishment of community-
based fisheries conservation zones in the lagoon system; training to improve management and
exploitation capacity for the fishing community, developing community-based tourism; sponsoring
dozens of community fishing boat.
Although the system of grassroots Fisheries Associations has officially developed widely, compared
with other organizational systems, this is only the initial step, there are still many difficulties and
challenges ahead… Therefore, the State and NGOs need to continue to provide policy and organizational
support, strengthen the system of grassroots Fisheries Associations better and better, and have specific
technical means for self-management at the grassroots level.

Figure 25. Model of local management at coastal area in Thua Thien Hue province
Source: Goveronment E-Newspaper

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