A resolution regarding support policies for offshore fishing boats in the 2019 - 2025 period was adopted at the 11^th session of the Da Nang People’s Council in its 9^th tenure for the 2016 - 2021 term early this month.

Local fishermen are now in urgent need of the city authorities-provided support to install necessary equipment onboard their offshore fishing boats.

Financial assistance is now being given to local offshore fishing vessels so that they can be fully equipped with sufficient modern machines in order to increase sea catch output, reduce post-catch losses and save human power.

Thanks to the active support, of course, local fishermen will be encouraged to maintain their offshore fishing trips to national waters so as to earn their living, generate great economic value for the sake of the city’s progress, and get actively engaged in safeguarding the country’s sacred sovereignty over its sea and islands as well.

Under the already-approved support policies, local fishing vessels with a capacity of 90CV or higher receive a subsidy of 40% on the hull insurance cost.

Boats with a capacity of 90CV or higher and a maximum length of 15m or more are exempted from paying the installation cost of global positioning system (GPS) devices and the first year of the subscription service.

Also, the aid of 50% (no more than 500 million VND per vessel) on the total cost of machines and equipment used in preserving the freshly-caught seafood is offered to local offshore fishing vessels. Included are seafood storage compartments made of Polyurethane (PU) foam, flake ice making machines, seafood storage equipment using nanotechnology, and such other pieces of equipment used in the exploitation of aquatic products as fish detectors, automatic identification systems (AISs), radars and seawater desalination equipment for providing fresh water for use on board boats.

Fishermen being very satisfied with their bumper catches

Fisherman Nguyen Cu from An Hai Bac Ward, Son Tra District, the owner of DNa90875TS, said, “Over recent years, many local fishermen have received much support from the local authorities to purchase seafood preservation equipment using PU foam, set up frozen storage compartments and install other necessary machines on their ships to lengthen seafood products’ freshness. With these support policies, we feel more secure about our fishing journeys to national waters, hereby maintaining our livelihoods and protecting the country’s sacred sovereignty over its sea and islands”.

Mr Dang Van Hong, the Director of the municipal Agro-Forestry-Fishery Promotion Centre, remarked the scientific and technological application to the operation of the fisheries sector has become more urgent in a bid to increase productivity, and the quality and output of aquatic products. This target, hence, will contribute to developing modern agricultural production to satisfy the growing urban demand for foods and boost the tourism development.

According to the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, by 2025, about 700 fishing boats will have received a total of 64.66 billion VND in aid to buy hull insurance. Also, 30.8 billion VND worth of financial assistance will have gone to a total of 550 vessels for the installation of GPS devices. In a similar vein, 140 ships will have been provided with a total funding of 70 billion VND to buy seafood preservation machines and equipment.

“The above-mentioned support policies are highly expected to create a new driving force for considerably promoting the local fisheries industry in the coming time”, affirmed Nguyen Do Tam, the Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.