KhanhHoa (VNA) – Representatives from 28 coastal localities nationwidegathered at a conference in the south central coastal province of Khanh Hoa onApril 5 to seek measures for sustainable exploitation, preservation, processingand consumption of aquatic products.

Participantsheard reports on forecast of fishing grounds and resources, as well as maderecommendations on fishing, processing and domestic consumption of seafoodcatches, and food safety.

NguyenHoai Nam, Vice Secretary of the Vietnam Association ofSeafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), proposed measures to boostseafood export while calling on agencies at all levels to help address issuesfacing enterprises.

Participantsalso discussed food safety observance on fishing vessels and at ports, logisticservices, upgrades to ports and administrative procedures for certification ofseafood meeting quality requirements of the EU.

Concludingthe event, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuongurged the fisheries sector to restructure towards sustainable, responsibledevelopment, effective exploration, and climate change adaption.

Theministry needs to review drastically and provide information timely for peopleand enterprises while developing a close chain of seafood processing to improveproduct quality, he said.

Healso urged the aquaculture sector to make planning with application of advancedtechnology and find consumption markets.

Reportsshow that in 2017, the nation’s aquatic output reached over 3.42 milliontonnes, exceeding the yearly target by 3.7 percent, and up 5.7 percent from2016. In which, the seafood catches made up of over 3.22 billion tonnes. Therest was inland aquatic output.-VNA