FishSource

Vietnam blue swimming crab - bottom gillnet/pot/trap (FIP)

Last Updated: 2024-04-19

Evaluation Start Date: 2013-11-01

Type: Comprehensive

Status: Active

FIP Lead: WWF USA (WU), Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), WWF-Vietnam (W)

Stock Profile Link
Blue swimming crab - Kien Giang Province

Comments:

FIP previously declared itself inactive due to an inability to implement and enforce meaningful regulation. FIP has been reactivated on Fishery Progress and will receive a rating after their next 6-month report.

1. FIP Development	Sep 09	Fishery assessment or scoping document made public 1 September 2009 — MSC pre-assessment made public
2. FIP Launch	Dec 18	Confirmation of project participants 30 December 2018 — 2018 FIP participants list 1 February 2016 — FIP participants (2016) listed 1 January 2009 — FIP participants made public
2. FIP Launch	Feb 24	Workplan made public 1 February 2024 — Updated 2024 Workplan 30 December 2018 — Action plan (updated in 2018) 10 February 2017 — 2017 workplan 1 October 2015 — Action Plan for 2016-2017 1 October 2015 — Action Plan 2015 available 1 November 2013 — Action Plan for 2013
3. FIP Implementation	Jan 19	FIP activities undertaken 1 January 2023 — The blue swimming crab stock assessment was last updated in 2023. 28 June 2022 — There have been updates made to harvest regulations in 2022. Under Decision No 13/2022/QĐ-UBND of Kien Giang Provincial People's Committee, all fishing activities are banned in the coastal zone within approximately 3 nautical miles from the mainland shore, and within 1 nautical mile of islands. Under Circular 01/2022/TT-BNNPTNT of MARD, Chinese traps, which have the smallest minimum mesh sizes of all BSF fishing gears, have been banned. 16 January 2019 — FIP particpated in the Crab Advisory Council (CAC) in Jan 2019 15 January 2018 — FIP participated in the Crab Advisory Council 31 December 2015 — FIP activities undertaken to the end of 2015. 30 November 2015 — Crab management council established. 1 August 2014 — The meeting to discuss harvest strategy was held in August right before the FIP review meeting. It has been agreed to set the LRP of fishing effort F at 0.8 F current 1 July 2014 — Data collection for the stock assessment (July-Sept 2014) 1 May 2013 — Completion of a literature review to support the scientific data collection research and sampling program
4. Improvements in Fishing Practices and Fishery Management	Apr 18	Verifiable improvement in policy/management and fishing practices 1 April 2018 — DARD and RIMF cooperated and retrieved the logbook data collected now incorporated into RIMF database. The database is now accessible to all the departmental stakeholders and those involved in data collection. Logbook templates are available for different fishing gears: traps and bottom gillnets. 16 January 2018 — A co-management group has been established by Phu Quoc DPC in a step to empower the fishing communities to manage the fishing resources 1 December 2017 — Scientific data collection research and sampling program - observer and research programs implemented 21 November 2017 — Increase in PI score 3.1.3 - Precautionary and ecosystem approaches incorporated into national law. 1 February 2017 — Milestone 28 (observer data collection) completed - provision of accurate and verifiable information on the catch of all secondary species confirming no species are thrown overboard as a bycatch 1 February 2017 — The 2016 stock assessment showed that the stock was below the Limit Reference Point, with an increase in the average size of crab caught and an improvement in the selectivity of gill nets but only marginal changes for the trap fisheries 1 July 2015 — Risk assessment completed with positive results - low impact on ecosystem and bycatch species 1 July 2015 — DARD is collecting log book data under stock assessment programme 1 July 2015 — HCR established along with existing Regs on MMLS, closed season and closed areas and newly established reg on MMS (Milestone 20 and 21 of the 2015 workplan) 31 January 2015 — New regulation on minimum mesh size 1 April 2014 — Co-management plan under FIP is available 1 May 2013 — Incorporation of the Precautionary Approach to Fisheries Management (PAFM) into the Management Plan and harvest strategy 1 November 2012 — Implementation of a logbook system to support the stock assessment work 1 June 2011 — Completion of a draft fishery management plan in June 2011, which was approved by DARD
5. Improvements on the Water	Nov 17	Verifiable improvement on the water 21 November 2017 — Increase in PI score 3.1.1 1 December 2015 — Increase in some MSC outcome scores: 1.1.1, 2.1.1, 2.3.1.
6. MSC certification (optional)	—	MSC certificate made public