Norway, the world’s second largest exporter of seafood, has intensified support to Vietnam’s fisheries sector over the past four decades.

Marine farming in Vietnam's Khanh Hoa province. Photo: Vietnam's Research Institute for Aquaculture No 1

The latest assistance is a Letter of Intent signed on May 21 between Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and Norway’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries (MTIF).

It is aimed to promote trade, cooperation and private sector investments, create optimal conditions for relevant agencies to continue working together in law enforcement, technological application, and research in the marine aquaculture industry.

Over the years, Norway has helped develop Vietnam’s fisheries sector to be modern and more competitive, able to integrate into the global value chain, enabling the industry to unlock potential and taking advantages of the oceans in a responsible and sustainable way.

The decades-long support has largely shifted Vietnam’s sector to industrial marine farming with the participation of large-scale enterprises using modern technology.

With world-class aquaculture and offshore technology, Norway has been selected as one of the four main partners to contributing in developing the Vietnamese aquaculture.

Representatives of Vietnam and Norway at the signing ceremony on May 21. Photo: Norway's Embassy in Hanoi

Efforts by all stakeholders

To extend the support, representatives from Norway discussed in a webinar held on the same day about a wide range of measures and methods to help develop Vietnam’s marine aquaculture on industrial scale.

The event spotlighted Norway’s Ambassador to Vietnam Grete Løchen, MARD’s Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien, Head of Innovation Norway, Hanoi Arne-Kjetil Lian.

It marked the participation of Vietnamese Ambassador to Norway Le Hong Lam and more than 150 participants representing MTIF, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), ten coastal provinces in Vietnam, Vietnam’s Research Institutes for Aquaculture No.1, 2 and 3, Nha Trang University, the World Bank, ADB, FAO, financial and credit institutions.

At the event, stakeholders exchanged information and experience in planning, policy making, governance, human resources, vocational training, green technologies and smart solutions.

Norwegian speakers presented the Norwegian triangle model that coordinates the engagement of authorities, industry and academia that is seen as one of the success factors of Norway’s salmon industry.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Grete Løchen said “2021 is a special year for Norway and Vietnam. We both take pride in the bilateral cooperation in the fisheries sector for over the past time. Now we are looking into how we can promote trade and investments in marine aquaculture and fish farming in Vietnam. When it comes to sustainable development of marine aquaculture industry, Norway has a lot to offer based on our lessons learned from the well-known salmon industry.”

She noted that sustainable and developed marine aquaculture industry is of great potential and thus requires a thinking of technology, green and cost-effective solutions. This is another step to boost Norway-Vietnam cooperation in this sector.

Vietnam’s marine aquaculture has posted average annual growth of 23.3% over the last decade, The area expanded to 70,000 ha in 2020 from 38,800 ha in 2010. In 2020, the country yielded about 610,000 tons.

“To reach the above targets, marine aquaculture on industrial scale is a solution. Therefore, the practical lessons, high-tech solutions as well as investments from Norwegian companies would be very helpful”, said Director General of the Directorate of Fisheries (Dfish), Doctor Tran Dinh Luan.

Norwegian Commercial Counsellor, Head of Innovation Norway Vietnam, Mr. Arne-Kjetil Lian said: "Innovation Norway, as the Commercial Section of the Norwegian Embassy in Vietnam, will do our best to facilitate the connection and cooperation between Norwegian and Vietnamese companies in this sector. It is in the best interest of both countries to promote our bilateral trade and investment.”