The government of Vietnam should support fishermen stranded because of high fuel prices because their long-term absence from the seas can undermine water security and sovereignty, several stakeholder say.
Dang Cong Ngu, former chairman of Hoang Sa District in Da Nang, said fishermen were “living landmarks” in maintaining sovereignty at sea. They don’t just catch fish; they also function as “eyes and ears on the sea” for law enforcement agencies, he said.
“As the fuel prices continue to increase, many fishermen have decided to stay back on shore as they’re afraid of suffering losses. If no one dares to go to the sea, we will gradually lose the fortresses that protect our Fatherland,” said Ngu.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, recent fuel price hikes have caused more than half of the nation’s fishing fleet of more than 91,700 boats to stay ashore for almost a month now, especially along the central coast.