RP, Vietnam sign MoA on fisheries cooperation

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and Vietnam on Monday signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) on bilateral cooperation on fisheries in Hanoi, the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a news release Tuesday.

The MoA was signed by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Special and Ocean Concerns Rafael Seguis on behalf of the Philippines, and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Vu Van Tam, on behalf of the Vietnam.

The MoA aims to set up a framework for the enhancement of cooperation in the field of fisheries between the two countries on such areas as exchange of fisheries information and data, aquaculture development, research activities, education and training, post-harvest development and food safety, and combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.

In his statement, Seguis recalled that the discussions on forging a MoA on Fisheries Cooperation between the two countries started as early as 2005. He highlighted the significance of signing the MoA, noting that the two countries border the same body of water, the South China Sea or the East Sea.

“The Philippines has almost the same length of coastline in the East with that of the coastline of Vietnam in the West. The two countries also share the same commercial fish stocks in the area. Given the above scenario, there is a necessity to forge cooperation in the field of fisheries,” he stated.

With the signing of the MoA, the Philippines and Vietnam have realized one of the identified goals set out in the Philippines-Vietnam Action Plan of 2007-2010. The MoA on Fisheries Cooperation is the second Agreement concluded under the ambit of the Philippines-Vietnam Joint Permanent Working Group on Maritime and Ocean Concerns (JPWG-MOC).

“This is another manifestation of the evolving closer relationship between the Philippines and Vietnam on maritime and ocean concerns,” Seguis said.

Present during the MoA signing were Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam Jerril Santos, Commission on Maritime and Ocean Affairs Secretariat (CMOAS) Secretary General Henry Bensurto Jr., Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Director Malcolm Sarmiento Jr., Second Secretary and Consul Maria Alnee Arugay, CMOAS Principal Assistant Nomer Ado II, and CMOAS Technical Staff Ana Placida Espina.

The Vietnamese side was represented by Director General Luong The Phiet and Deputy Director Hoang Thi Dung of International Cooperation Department, Director Nguyen Viet Manh of Science and International Cooperation Department, and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense. –INQUIRER.net