Vietnam will halve the number of its onshore fishing ships and boats by 2010 to protect depleting marine resources, according to the country’s Fisheries Ministry on Monday.
The reduction is necessary since marine resources in some coastal provinces have shown signs of depletion, while waters near sea shores are ideal places for many marine creatures to lay eggs, the ministry’s Fishing Department said, noting that 80 percent of fishing vehicles in Vietnam are onshore ships and boats, and 20 percent offshore ones.