Vietnam blue swimming crab - bottom gillnet/pot/trap

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Overview

The Kien Giang blue swimming crab (BSC) fishery catches BSC off the coast of  Kien Giang Province using bottom gillnets and traps. The fishery supports the livelihoods of an estimated 20,000 fishers and their families. The blue swimming crab is also an important export product for Vietnam. Yet there are critical issues facing this fishery, including the harvest of undersized crab and gravid females, a lack of sound knowledge of the health of the stock, and lack of enforcement capacity. Through the active involvement of FIP stakeholders, such as the Department of Agriculture and Resource Development (DARD), Research Institute Fisheries Management and Provincial Peoples Committee, and FIP participants, the sustainability challenges facing this fishery are being addressed.

FIP Description 

The Kien Giang blue swimming crab (BSC) fishery catches BSC off the coast of  Kien Giang Province using bottom gillnets and traps. The fishery supports the livelihoods of an estimated 20,000 fishers and their families.

FIP Objective(s) 

The FIP is working towards a fishery performance level that can achieve passing scores against the Marine Stewardship Council Fisheries Standard by December 2028 by addressing a number of environmental challenges. These include: development and implementation of a sustainable harvest strategy that includes appropriate harvest controls, regular stock assessment, improved monitoring of the stock, minimizing catches of ETP species such as vulnerable shark species, implementation of a Kien Giang crab management plan, maintaining an operational Crab Council, responsive decision making, promulgation of effective fisheries laws, review of management performance, and improved compliance and enforcement.

FIP Type 
Comprehensive
FIP Stage 
Stage 5: Improvements on the Water
Start and Projected End Dates
September 2010
December 2028
Update 
The project has renewed by changing the project co-ordinator, FIP Lead and management mechanism. Activities were revised & updated in 2019 based on a Pre-Assessment written by a qualified consultant in 2019. The work plan, budget, and other documents were reviewed and further updated by another qualified consultant in 2023-24.
Next Progress Report Due 
Monday, March 31, 2025
Species 
Common Name 
Blue Swimming Crab
Scientific Name
Portunus pelagicus
Gear Type 
Bottom Gillnet
Pot/Trap
Location
FAO Major Fishing Area
Area 71 (Pacific, Western Central)
Exclusive Economic Zones
Country 
Viet Nam
Geographic Scope 
Kien Giang Province
Country Flag of Vessel 
Viet Nam
Landings
Estimated Total FIP Landings 
3,100 metric tons
Estimated Total Fishery Landings 
3,100 metric tons
Landings Date 
June 2022
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FIP at a Glance

View current status
September 01, 2010
59% 22% 19%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF

C Some Recent Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.

  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Mar 2025
Target End Date
Dec 2028
Additional Impacts:
Roundtable

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters & Producers (VASEP)
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Ms Tran Thuy Que Phuong - VCC Secretary
Phone 
+84.2862.810.430
Organization Name 
Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters & Producers (VASEP)
Organization Type 
Consultant
Primary Contact 
Dr. Vu Viet Ha
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
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