1

AN INVENTORY OF VIETNAM MARINE AND COASTAL
ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENT

Le Anh Tuan
1
, Le Hoang Viet
1
, Do Ngoc Quynh
21
Center for Environmental and Water Resources Engineering - College of Technology
2
International relation office
CanTho University, CanTho City, Vietnam

oOo
SUMMARY
Located in the South-East Asian region, thanks to an over 3400 km of coastline
and 3000 islands in the Pacific Ocean, Vietnam is considered as a country has a
great potential on marine and coastal economic development. From the North to
the South of the country's coastal line, there are hundreds of aquaculture bases,
many transshipment ports, fishing ports, tourist beaches, seaside resorts, petro-
industrial plants, that are contributed considerably to the Gross National Product.
Beside its benefit on the country one million square kilometers of exclusive
economic sea zone, Vietnam's seawater contains a lot of coral reefs, sea weeds,
many valuable and rare creatures in out of nearly 11,000 marine species.


Mong Cai - Do Son, Do Son - Lach Truong, Lach Truong - Mui Ron, Mui Ron - Hai
Van, Hai Van - Dai Lanh, Dai Lanh - Vung Tau, Vung Tau - Ca Mau, Tay Nam Bo,
and off-shore islands. Almost Vietnam coastal and beaches are interesting
tourism points.

Vietnam has a subtropical to tropical climate from the North to the South. The
mean annual temperature at sea level is about 27C in the south, falling steadily
northwards to about 21C in the extreme north. Most of the country receives about
2,000 mm of rainfall per year, but the mountains of the narrow central region of the
country are considerably more humid, with an annual rainfall of up to 3,000 mm.
Each year, there are more or less 10 sea-typoons from the Philippines and the
East Sea attacking the coastal provinces, special the Central region. Sea-
2
Figure 1: Vietnam location map
typhoons are considered as one of the natural risks for fishing, shipping, tourist
and aquaculture that may be one of the limitation factors to the national
developments.

Historically, Vietnamese has gone along the sea coastal for expending, defending
and building the country. Therefore, the marine and coastal is really an important
strategic objective on the currently nation's socio-economic long-term development
targets, especially the big role has such sea economics as mining, oil exploitation,
sea transportation, fishing, planning, sea food processing and tourism etc

Being an agricultural country with a high population (more than 80 million
habitants) and limited cultivated land, Vietnam's economy has experienced almost
exponential growth in total output production especially in the last 10 years despite

Table 1: Vietnam national profiles
Area 329 560 km
2

Land boundaries 4 639 km
Continental shelf area approx. 700 000 km
2
(to 200 m)
Length of coastline 3 444 km (excludes islands)
Number of islands approx. 3 000
Population (July 2004) 82,689,518
Age structure (July 2004)
0-14 years
15-64 years
65 years and over

29.4% (male 12,524,098; female 11,807,763)
65% (male 26,475,156; female 27,239,543)
5.6% (male 1,928,568; female 2,714,390)
Population growth rate (2004) 1.3%
Administrative divisions
provinces
industry
services

21.8%
39.7%
38.5%
Investment (gross fixed 2003) 33% of GDP

4

Figure 2: Vietnam water map
(Source: World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC), 1994)

5

II VIETNAM MARINE AND COASTAL ECONOMIC
II.1 OIL AND GAS
Since the early of 1970s, oil and gas in the offshore and continental shelf of
the Southern Vietnam (the Cuu Long and South Con Son Basin) have been
allowed to survey. After 1990, the activities of oil exploration have really expanded
parallel with the economical development of the country. Vietnam has been
identified as a medium priority market for the oil and gas sector (Table 2). Annually
Vietnam oil and gas production rapidly increased and reached 16.8 millions tons
and 1.6 billions cubic meters respectively. Total petroleum production is over 98
millions tones of oil and 5.6 billions cubic meters of gas.

Currently, there are six largest operating oil fields (figure 3), of which Bach Ho
(White Tiger), Rang Dong (Dawn), Hong Ngoc (Rubi), and Dai Hung (Big Bear)
are the largest. Crude oil production averaged 352,507 barrels per day (bbl/d) in
2003 (figure 4). Almost a large portion of its oil production is exported mainly to

Figure 3: Vietnam Oil and gas exploitaion map
(Source: PetroVietnam, 2004)
6
Figure 4: Vietnam Crude Oil Production
(
Source: PetroVietnam, 2004
)

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approved with the investigation cost of $230 million and the capacity of
approximately 70 billion cubic feet per year and the electricity generation of 720
megawatt.

The oil and petroleum products such as DO, FO for domestic and industrial uses
were imported fully. 2003 was to see 2,410 ton of petroleum products shipments
transferred and the amount of oil to be transshipped there will be increase
gradually in the years to come.

During the period 1970 - 1990, there were no record concerning the oil spill
events. The oil spill events have been officially recorded in Vietnam since 1994
(Table 3). From 1994 to 2002, port authorities have counted at least 35 oil spill
events. It is estimated that about 92,000 ton of oil have been poured into the
Vietnam sea and coastlines. Ho Chi Minh port is considered as a biggest black
spot on the oil spill pointed map of Vietnam.

Table 3: Numbers of oil spills from ships in Vietnam (1995 - 2002)
Year Number of cases Oil Spill Amount (ton)
1995 2 202
1996 7 68,300
1997 4 2,450

Marine capture fishery
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and brackish water aquaculture production have developed strongly in Vietnam
after economic reform, special since 1990s and towards. Fishery have been
regarded as one the most important sectors in the Vietnamese economy. In 2000,
the fishery and aquaculture export value up by 35% to $1.3 billion and total output
production up by 20% to 1,827,310 tons. According the Vietnam Ministry of
Fishery (1997), the potential area for aquaculture development is estimated at
1.82 million hectares as distributed as figure 5. Figure 5: Potential fisheries development
(Sources: Ministry of Fisheries, 1997)

Each year, Vietnam sea area can supply nearly 4.2 million tons of marine fishes
(table 4), 45,000 tons of shrimp (table 5), 64,000 tons of cuttlefish (table 6) and
59,000 tons of squid (table 7). Beside marine animals, there are also many high
valued natural resources such as Gracilaria verrucosa, Sargassum can be
exploited with a volume of 45,000 - 50,000 tons. In addition, there are also many
precious species such as abalones, sea turtles, sea birds. Fish fin, fish bladder,
mother pearl can also be exploited.

Vietnamese fishers still have used traditional inshore fishing with small and
medium wooden boats, simple fishnets and own-experiences applied direct nearby
the beaches, estuaries, shallow river mouths. They have captured all kinds and
sizes of fish and shellfish species for their daily protein possible. Over-fishing
capture situation becomes one of the serious pressures on the coastal and seabed
animal resources in present. About 8% of fishers have investigated new big
vessels equipped with 400-500 horse-power (HP) engines for deep-sea fishing.

156,000

57.3

< 50m 39,200

5.7

15,700

5.7

Dermersal fish
> 50m 252,000

37

100,800

37

Tonkin
Gulf

Total

681,200272,500

region
Total 606,400242,60014.5

Small pelagic fish 524,000

25.2

209,600

25.2

< 50m 349,200

16.8

139,800

16.8

Dermersal fish
> 50m 1,202,700

58.0



South
Western
region
Total 506,700202,30012.1
Floating
knoll
Small pelagic fish 10,000

100

2,500

100

0.2
Whole
sea
area
Deep sea pelagic
fish (*)
(300,000)
1,700,000100

(*) Data presumed according to total catch of the countries in this sea area
Source : Research Institute of Marine Products (RIMP)
Compiler : Fisheries Information Centre (FICen)

Table 5: Reserve and capable to exploitation of shrimp (ton) in Vietnam sea area
< 50m 50 - 100m 100 - 200m > 200m Total
Sea
area

Fish
stock
Fishing
capacity

Fish
stock
Fishing
capacity

Fish
stock
Fishing
capacity

Fish


3

2,462

899

13,482

4,488

34

12

15,985

5,402

South
Eastern
region
8,160

2,475

2,539

927



Total 17.664

5.945

5.281

1.929

19.574

6.712

1.886

688

44.402

15.272

Source : Research Institute of Marine Products (RIMP)
Compiler : Fisheries Information Centre (FICen)

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Table 6: Reserve and capable to exploitation of cuttlefish in Vietnam sea area


1,300

13,540

Central region
Fishing capacity 1,560

1,530

1,800

520

5,410

Reserve 24,900

10,800

7,400

5,600

48,700

South Eastern
region
Fishing capacity 9,970


Percentage (%) 47.3

23.3

18.6

10.8

100

Source : Research Institute of Marine Products (RIMP)
Compiler : Fisheries Information Centre (FICen)

Table 7: Reserve and capable to exploitation of squid in Vietnam sea area
Region
Reserve & fishing
capacity (ton)
< 50m 50 - 100 m 100 - 200 m > 200 m Total
Reserve 9,240

2,520 11,760

Fishing capacity 3,700



180

810

1,190

2,310

Central region

Percentage % 5.5

7.5

35.3

51.7

10

Reserve 21,300

12,800

2,600

4,900

41,500

7,900

59,100

Fishing capacity 12,400

6,300

1,800

3,100

23,600

Total
Percentage (%) 52.2

26.7

7.8

13.3

100

Source : Research Institute of Marine Products (RIMP)
Compiler : Fisheries Information Centre (FICen)II.3 TOURISM

Untreated wastewater and solid waste from hotels and restaurants, beaches,
tourism boats and ships are sources of serious pressure on the water quality in the
tourism areas. To meet a sustainable development, Vietnam tourism should
combine the environmental resources management, special in marine and coastal
environment. It is strictly noticed because more than 70 percent of the leisure and
tourist of Vietnam are located at the coastal areas, attracting annually 80 percent
of the total tourist number. The sea tourism may be strongly affected if there are
many uncontrollable modern industrial processes, oil spill disasters,
overexploitation of natural resources and the negative impacts of human activities.


Table 8: Comparison between the number of species in Vietnam and the world
Taxa No. of species in
Vietnam (SV)*
No. of species in
the world (SW)
SV/SW
(%)
Mammals
Birds
Reptiles
Amphibians
Fishes
Plants
265
800
180
80
2,470
7,000
4,000
9,040
6,300
4,184
19,000
220,000
6.8
8.8
2.9
2.0

(Source: WCMC database, 1994) There are three main reasons that may lead the degradation of environment
seriously in Vietnam as following:

 Industrial pollution: almost the industrial plants have been constructed closed
the water areas as coastal, estuaries, river banks, reservoirs, lagoons and
wetlands. Their untreated wastewater and hazardous wastes and other tailings
are highly sources for water pollution. Oil pollution due to shipping activities
and accidents occurs in the coastal estuarine waters. Almost 29 coastal
provinces of Vietnam are facing oil spills problem and the number of such

 To raise awareness to the people via community education programmes for
keeping the sea clean, especially in the beaches and tourism points.
 To build wastewater treatment plants for big cities, industrial zones as a legal
requirement.
 To control and prepare oil spill events.

Vietnam marine and coastal has been increasing his great important role in the
country economic and social development in recent years and towards. However,
the sea ecosystem is very dramatic and sensitive if we continue to exploit without
protection. Vietnam waters should become one of the country’s most express
concern now for a long-term firm development targets.

Le Anh Tuan – Le Hoang Viet Do Ngoc Quynh
CanTho University, Vietnam
2005
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Appendix 1
KEY OCEAN MANAGEMENT RELATED LEGISLATION

Legislation Description
National Conservation
Strategy (1985)
This Strategy is a national program that addresses the
issues of conservation and rational use of natural resources.
Ordinance on the
Protection and
Development of Aquatic
Resources (1989)
This Ordinance seeks to ensure the unification of

Law (LEP)

This Law protects the environment by implementing
Vietnam
’s obligations under various international
environmental conventions
National Law on
Environment Protection
(1993)

This Law takes a holistic approach to oceans governance.
Its objectives are to create an integrated management
structure, increase environmental awareness in the general
public and safeguard human and environmental health so as
to create an environment for sustainable development
Vietnam Maritime
Code/Law (1990)

The Maritime Code largely covers ships and crews, it
includes provisions on the responsibilities for protecting the
marine environment and for dealing with pollution and
accidents in the marine environment. This law also
prescribes liability for environmental damage
Biodiversity Action Plan
(1995)
This is a comprehensive Plan that sets out broad strategies
for strengthening institutional capacity in the management of
protected areas, wetlands and biological diversity in general.
These strategies are consistent with the obligations under
the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Forthcoming Tasks and Objectives in 1993.
Pfeiffer, E.W. (1984). The Conservation of Nature in Vietnam. Environmental
Conservation 11: 217-221.
SVR State Committee for Sciences, (1991). Viet Nam National Plan for
Environment and Sustainable Development 1991-2000; Framework for
Action. UNDP Project VIE/89/021
Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, (1994). Master plan for tourism
development in Vietnam (1995-2010), Ha Noi.
Vo Quy. (1985). Rare Species and Protection Measures Proposed for Vietnam. In:
Thorsell, J.W. (ed.), Conserving Asia's Natural Heritage.
Vo Si Tuan (1998). Coastal and Marine Conservation in Vietnam. Proceedings of
the European-Asia Workshop on Investigation and Management of
Mediterranean and South China Sea Coastal Zone, Hong Kong, Nov. 9-11.
Vu Tu Lap. (1979). Vietnam Geographical Data. Foreign Languages Publishing
House. Ha Noi.
Vu Tuan Canh (2000). Vietnam Tourism Master Plan with environment and
resource management strategy, Ha Noi.

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