US embassy cable - 05HANOI1417

UNCLAS  HANOI 001417 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, OES - TINKHAM/GOLDBERG 
NOAA FOR REGULATORY AFFAIRS/REBECCA LENT 
NOAA FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS - JUSTI 
NOAA FOR INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES - MORAN/SCHNEIDER 
NOAA FOR FISHERIES ALASKA CENTER/LOH-LEE LOW 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIS, EIND, ETRD, VM 
SUBJECT: U.S.-VIETNAM FISHERIES BILATERAL TALKS: FURTHER 
COOPERATION DESIRED 
 
 
Do not post on the internet. 
 
1.  Summary.  National Oceanographic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service 
(NMFS) Deputy Administrator for Regulatory Affairs Dr. 
Rececca Lent led a four-person NOAA delegation to attend the 
U.S-Vietnam Fisheries Bilateral talks in Hanoi on May 23-24, 
2005.  Both parties highlighted the good cooperation between 
Vietnam and United States on fisheries issues and pledged 
future scientific cooperation in four main areas: fisheries 
oceanography; satellite remotely sensed oceanographic data; 
coral reef research; and sea turtle satellite tracking.  The 
Vietnamese Ministry of Fisheries (MOFI) also stated that it 
will voluntarily impose a 1.7 million ton harvest cap on the 
offshore fishing industry and that its top priority in 
Vietnam is developing the country's aquaculture industry. 
End Summary. 
 
2.  On May 23-24, NOAA's NMFS Dr. Rebecca Lent led a four- 
person NOAA delegation to Hanoi to attend the U.S.-Vietnam 
Fisheries Bilateral talks in Hanoi on May 23-24, 2005. 
Other members of the delegation included Dr. Gary Loh-Lee 
Low, Senior Fisheries Biologist; Mr. Greg Schneider, Trade 
Specialist; and Mr. Patrick Moran, Foreign Affairs 
Specialist.  Embassy S&T Officer accompanied the U.S. team 
to all of its meetings.  The Vietnamese delegation was led 
by Dr. Vu Van Trieu, Acting Director General, International 
Cooperative Department, MOFI.  Representatives from MOFI and 
NMFS reported on the status of scientific exchanges between 
the two countries, including in the areas of stock 
assessment methodology, sea turtle tagging, fisheries 
oceanography and remote satellite sensing data. 
 
3.  The United States presented an overview of the U.S. and 
international fisheries industry and explained the structure 
of the U.S. fishery management and regulatory system.  MOFI 
stated that its top fisheries priority is developing 
Vietnam's aquaculture industry, especially shrimp and 
seafood exports.  MOFI also stated that it will voluntarily 
impose a 1.7 million ton harvest cap on the offshore fishing 
industry to prevent overfishing of its natural resources. 
MOFI admitted, however, that it lacked the human resource 
and management capacity to protect its natural resources and 
requested U.S. support to conduct fishery observer training, 
seafood safety and inspection seminars, and vessel safety 
enforcement training.  In response to U.S. country of origin 
labeling requirements for seafood products entering the 
U.S., MOFI asked NOAA for further guidance to comply with 
this requirement. 
 
4.  Both parties agreed that further cooperation in the 
areas of visits, training workshops and support for 
fisheries conferences were important.  However, NOAA 
stressed that funding for such endeavors was limited and 
that it could only act as a "facilitator" to identify 
funding sources with other U.S. government agencies, 
research institutions, and U.S. marine science universities. 
Vietnam specifically requested technical assistance in the 
development of Specific Pathogen Free shrimp stocks for 
aquaculture, genetic work on aquaculture species, and import 
assistance for live mollusks.  MOFI also suggested that NOAA 
facilitate a Vietnamese fisheries group to visit Hawaii in 
Winter 2006.  The U.S. agreed to host the Vietnamese 
fisheries group during the upcoming Western Central Pacific 
Fishery Council (WestPac) meeting and promised to introduce 
the group to the Pacific Island Regional Office, Pacific 
Island Science Center, NOAA offices, and possibly the 
University of Hawaii.  The U.S. also mentioned that during 
the proposed it will make presentations about the legal 
aspects of fisheries management in the United States, 
including the role of legislations, implementing 
regulations, guidelines, and community-based management. 
 
5.  The delegation also discussed the upcoming 2006 workshop 
in Vietnam on "Techniques for Research and Survey 
Methodology on Marine Resources."  This workshop, scheduled 
just prior to the Pacific Rim Conference on March 20, 2006, 
will be expanded to include a broader participation by 
experts from Asia.  The United States promised provide 
logistical support.  Both Dr. Bill Hogarth and the 
Vietnamese Minister of Fisheries will be the honorary co- 
chairs and Dr. Vu Van Trieu and Dr. Rebecca Lent will be the 
co-chairs for the Pacific Rim Conference.  The U.S. will 
also provide support for Vietnam to host an APEC Fisheries 
Working Group on community-based management in 2006. 
Pending the availability of scientists and funding, four 
specific scientific projects both parties agreed to pursue 
 
 
were: 1) fisheries oceanography; 2) satellite remotely 
sensed oceanographic data; 3) coral reef research; and 4) 
sea turtle satellite tracking. 
 
6.  The United States also requested Vietnam's support and 
commitment in implementing several international and 
regional agreements, including the UN Fish Stocks Agreement, 
the FAO International Plan of Action and Sea Turtle 
Guidelines, and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries 
Commission.  MOFI officials were aware of these agreements 
and understood that participation in these forums would help 
ensure the goals of effective stewardship of marine 
resources.  However, MOFI made no firm commitment to 
implementing these agreements during the bilateral meeting. 
 
7.  This cable was cleared by Patrick Moran, NOAA. 
 
MARINE 
 
 
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