Positive changes for marine aquaculture: Removing bottlenecks

The year 2025 marks a pivotal moment with many important institutional and planning reforms related to the marine economy. Among these is Decree No. 65/2025/ND-CP, recently issued by the Government, which aims to eliminate institutional barriers to marine space access. It brings major changes to sea-use mechanisms, creating breakthrough opportunities and momentum for marine aquaculture, thereby contributing to the goal of transforming Viet Nam into a strong and prosperous maritime nation, while firmly safeguarding national sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over its seas.

Located in Dam Buon Hamlet, Dam Ha Commune, Dam Ha District, Quang Ninh Province, the 6868 Oyster Cooperative comprises 32 households who rely primarily on income from oyster farming at sea. However, these households are currently facing numerous challenges, ranging from harsh weather conditions, disease outbreaks, market fluctuations, to certain policies that are ill-suited to practical realities.

Local insights from residents and scientists

Dinh Xuan Toan, Head of the 6868 Oyster Cooperative, shared that with a fee of 7.5 million VND/ha/year, the cooperative, which operates on 245 hectares, would have to pay over 1.8 billion VND (68,635 USD) annually—an amount disproportionately high compared to the revenue from marine farming. Of this, only about 200 hectares are actually used for cultivation; the remaining 45 hectares are set aside for circulation and water flow channels serving the farming activities. According to Toan, aquaculture heavily depends on water sources and is vulnerable to natural disasters. When losses occur, farmers fall behind on sea-use fees, which in turn disqualifies them from receiving bank loans for reinvestment. As a result, many marine farmers are calling for reduced water surface rental fees.

Associate Professor, Dr Nguyen Huu Dung, President of the Viet Nam Marine Farming Association, believes that for the sustainable development of marine aquaculture, sea areas should be allocated long-term to businesses, cooperatives, and individuals. Additionally, sea-use permits should be legalised, allowing holders to use them as collateral for loans, enter business partnerships, and obtain insurance. He recommends that the duration of these allocations be extended to around 30 years or longer, instead of just a few years, to give investors and farmers confidence to invest systematically with modern technologies.

Moreover, the legal framework and administrative procedures need to be clearer and more appropriate. Under current regulations, people and enterprises must independently prepare environmental impact reports even before receiving farming licences or initiating operations, leading to various inconsistencies. Therefore, relevant authorities should issue specific standards and regulations regarding the environmental impact of marine aquaculture, rather than shifting this responsibility to the public, Dr Dung added.

At a meeting on licensing and allocating marine areas for aquaculture held by the Quang Ninh Provincial People’s Committee at the end of May 2025, Vice Chairman Nghiem Xuan Cuong urged localities and relevant departments to rectify delays in the marine area allocation process, which has led to the proliferation of unlicensed aquaculture operations.

He also instructed that all dossiers already prepared by cooperatives and enterprises must be urgently submitted by June 30, with maximum support from technical departments to finalise and submit them for approval by the Provincial People’s Committee.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment is currently running a high-priority campaign to complete and submit qualified dossiers for provincial approval. By October 30, any cases failing to finalise their sea-use application will be required to cease aquaculture activities.

Accelerating marine allocation and aquaculture insurance

After years of implementation, the legal framework governing the management of marine resources, environment, and space is entering a new phase of completion. Decree No. 65/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on May 2, 2025, is expected by many economists to pave the way for sustainable and long-term marine economic development.

Dr Pham Thi Gam, Head of Policy and Legal Affairs at the Viet Nam Administration of Seas and Islands, noted that one of the key highlights of Decree No. 65/2025/ND-CP is its resolution of long-standing overlaps and ambiguities in coastal zone management. The Decree amends the mechanism for marine area allocation, thereby establishing a crucial legal corridor that enables organisations and individuals to access and exploit marine resources legally.

A sustainable marine economy requires a coherent, transparent, and investor-friendly legal system. While Decree No. 65/2025/ND-CP may not solve every issue, it represents a much-needed institutional boost, propelling Viet Nam’s marine economy into a new phase of planned, managed, and sustainable growth.

Phan Thanh Nghi, Deputy Director of the Quang Ninh Department of Agriculture and Environment, stated that reviewing, planning, and approving the use of marine space for aquaculture—aligned with sustainable marine economic development—has laid an important legal foundation for marine area allocation.

Currently, Quang Ninh leads the country in sea area allocation. As of the end of June, coastal localities in the province had completed and approved their marine space usage plans for aquaculture. District-level authorities received 698 applications and completed allocations for 627 individuals and organisations, covering over 382 hectares. At the provincial level, 14 marine aquaculture permits were issued, totalling over 2,500 hectares.

Regarding the high sea-use fees that residents have raised concerns about, the Department is preparing documentation for submission to the Provincial People’s Committee to consider reducing the rate to the minimum level permitted by the state: 4 million VND/ha/year.

In Ninh Thuan Province, the People’s Committee has proactively introduced a series of policy measures, including preferential credit loans, to support farmers transitioning from traditional bamboo and wooden cages to high-tech marine farming systems such as HDPE cages and other advanced technologies.

In cases of risks like storms, earthquakes, or disease outbreaks, marine farmers operating within designated zones will receive partial support and be granted debt extensions to recover and resume production.

The province is also developing mechanisms to integrate marine aquaculture with other economic sectors such as tourism, transport, and resource exploitation, in order to optimise infrastructure and support production. Priority is also being given to developing specialised technology and fleets to transport live, high-value aquaculture products to international markets.

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