Representatives from the IUCN (left) and Department of Fisheries (right) shake hands after signing the MoU for aquatic resources conservation and development 2020-2025. (Photo courtesy of the Greenhub) Quang Ninh (VNA) - The Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment's Directorate of Fisheries, in collaboration with the InternationalUnion for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Center for Supporting GreenDevelopment (Greenhub), held a workshop on September 25 to tackle the issue ofocean plastic waste in Ha Long city, the northern province of Quang Ninh.
The workshop, titled “Ocean Plastic Waste Management towards BiologicalDiversity Conservation”, gathered Government and local officials andrepresentatives from international organisations to discuss partnershipsbetween them to support the implementation of an action plan to reduce plasticpollution from the fisheries sector.
It also focused on sharing experiences in plastic waste management with localpeople and seeking voluntary commitments to reduce plastic waste in theindustry.
At the event, local and international experiences on reducing plastic wastefrom fishing and aquaculture were shared with calls for voluntary commitmentsfrom relevant stakeholders. In response to the call for commitments, the IUCNand the Department of Fisheries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) onaquatic resources conservation and development for 2020-2025.
Following on from the IUCN’s MoU with the department that ran from 2015 to2020, the new MoU covers five areas of collaboration: implementation of theMarine Turtle Conservation Action Plan by 2025; improvement of MPA managementeffectiveness; research on the legal and scientific framework for the FisheriesResources Protection and Development Fund; management and conservation ofthreatened aquatic species; and management of aquatic habitats.
The workshop offered a good opportunity for stakeholders including governmentagencies, international and local environmental organisations and businesses todiscuss the action plan and commitments they can make in the fight againstplastic pollution in Vietnam.
Facing marine plastic waste pollution, one of the world’s most acuteenvironmental problems, Vietnam is ranked 4th globally in terms of mismanagedplastic waste. Ever-increasing amounts of plastic waste pose significanthazards to marine wildlife.
The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates about 640,000 tonnes offishing gear is left in oceans each year globally, making up the majority ofhazardous macro-plastics in the ocean./.
VNA
