Number range CHAPTER**U.S.-Vietnam Fisheries Cooperation Program**

The bilateral fisheries relationship with Vietnam was initiated in 1998
with an exchange of fishery scientists.

Additionally, in October 1998, NMFS Assistant Administrator Rolland
Schmitten led a U.S. fisheries delegation composed of government and
private sector representatives to Vietnam. The visit resulted in
agreement to continue cooperative exchanges in areas of mutual interest.
During 1999 and 2000, a wide variety of scientific exchanges took place,
the most notable being the participation of a NOAA Fisheries scientist
on a Vietnamese fisheries research cruise during October 2000.

During 2001, Vietnam expressed interest in continuing the bilateral
exchanges of scientific personnel and to further our dialogue on trade
issues of mutual interest and requested that the United States send a
delegation to Hanoi. In March 2003, Dr. Rebecca Lent, NMFS Deputy
Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, led a delegation of
NMFS and Department of State representatives to Hanoi. The agenda for
this meeting covered possible future work with Vietnam in areas relating
to fisheries science, conservation and management policy, enforcement,
and trade. This meeting resulted in a commitment by the United States
and Vietnam to examine areas where future cooperation might take place.
Although no formal agreement or monetary commitment was made, the stage
was set for enhanced cooperation between the two governments.

During November 2003, a delegation from the Vietnamese Ministries of
Fisheries, Science and Technology, and Finance visited the United States
for meetings with representatives of U.S. federal agencies and research
institutions on issues of fisheries management, aquaculture and science
and technology. The itinerary for this trip included meetings in the
Washington, D.C. area with NOAA, NMFS and other agency representatives.
The Vietnamese delegation also visited the University of Maryland\'s
Center of Marine Biotechnology (COMB) and the National Aquarium in
Baltimore. The U.S. visit concluded in the Seattle/Puget sound area with
visits to the NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center Manchester Field
Station aquaculture facility, the Washington State Salmon Hatchery, and
the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (located in Seattle).

In June 2004, Number range CHAPTERa Workshop on Methodology for
Fisheries Resources Assessments was held in Haiphong, Vietnam. The
workshop was organized by: the Research Institute for Marine Fisheries
(RIMF), Ministry of Fisheries, Vietnam; the Alaska Fisheries Science
Center (AFSC), NMFS, USA; and the project on Assessment of the Living
Marine Resources in Vietnam (ALMRV), DANIDA, Denmark. This Number range
CHAPTERworkshop was held as a first technical exchange of methodologies
and ideas following communications between the Government of Vietnam and
the United States to further bilateral cooperation on fisheries issues.
It was agreed that another workshop should be held in the future on
methodologies for assessing pelagic resources.

During May 2005, Dr. Lent led a delegation of NMFS representatives to
Hanoi. The agenda for this meeting included scientific, management, and
trade issues of mutual concern, as well as regional and international
items. There was agreement that future scientific cooperation should
focus on: fisheries oceanography; satellite remotely sensed
oceanographic data; coral reef research; and sea turtle satellite
tracking. Vietnam noted that its top priority is developing the
country's aquaculture industry. The United States requested Vietnam's
support and commitment in joining and implementing international and
regional agreements, instruments and organizations, such as the World
Trade Organization, the UN Fish Stocks Agreement, the FAO International
Plans of Action and Sea Turtle Guidelines, and the Western and Central
Pacific Fisheries Commission.

In February 2006, U.S. Government personnel assisted the Vietnamese in
hosting an APEC Fisheries Working Group workshop entitled, \"Towards
Sustainable Fisheries in the Region.\" This workshop, held in Hanoi,
Vietnam, during February 15-17, 2006, was the first official meeting of
the Vietnam year of APEC leadership (theme: Towards a Dynamic Community
for Sustainable Development and Prosperity). Additionally, in follow-up
to bilateral commitments made during 2005, U.S. scientists held a
workshop designed to assess Vietnamese research priorities during March
20-21, 2006, in Hanoi, and U.S. Government and non-government
representatives assisted (and participated) in the March 22-24, 2006,
Pacific Rim Fisheries Conference, also held in Hanoi.

**[NOAA Fisheries Contact]{.underline}**

Patrick E. Moran

Office of International Affairs (F/IA2)

National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA

1315 East-West Highway

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Telephone: (301) 713-2276

Fax: (301) 713-2313

e-mail: pat.moran@noaa.gov