Decision No. 1117/QD-TTg dated October 07, 2024 on approval of the master plan for sustainable extraction and use of coastal resources for the 2021-2030 period, orientation toward 2050

DECISION

ON APPROVAL OF THE MASTER PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE EXTRACTION AND USE OF COASTAL RESOURCES FOR THE 2021 – 2030 PERIOD, ORIENTATION TOWARD 2050

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to Law on Governmental Organization dated June 19, 2015; Law on amendments to Law on Government Organization and Law on Local Governmental Organization dated November 22, 2019;

Pursuant to Law on natural resources and environment of sea and island dated June 25, 2015;

Pursuant to Law on amendments to some articles concerning planning of 37 laws;

Pursuant to Law on Planning dated November 24, 2017;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 61/2022/QH15 dated June 16, 2022 of the National Assembly on further intensification of effect and efficiency of implementing policies and laws on planning and a number of solutions to remove difficulties and obstacles, speed up the progress of planning and improve the quality of planning for the 2021 - 2030 period;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 81/2023/QH15 dated January 9, 2023 of the National Assembly on National Master Plan for 2021 – 2030, orientation toward 2050;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 139/2024/QH15 dated June 28, 2024 of the National Assembly on National marine spatial planning for the period of 2021-2030, orientation toward 20452050;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 39/2021/QH15 dated November 13, 2021 of the National Assembly on National Land Use Planning for the 2021 - 2030 period, orientation toward 2050, and the 5-year National Land Use Plan for the 2021 - 2025 period;

Pursuant to Decree No. 37/2019/ND-CP dated May 7, 2019 of the Government detailing a number of articles of the Law on Planning; Decree No. 58/2023/ND-CP dated August 12, 2023 of the Government amending a number of articles of Decree No. 37/2019/ND-CP dated May 7, 2019 of the Government detailing a number of articles of the Law on Planning;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 26/NQ-CP dated March 5, 2020 of the Government promulgating the Government's Master Plan and 5-year plan to implement Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW dated October 22, 2018 of the 8th Conference of the 12th Party Central Committee on the Strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam's marine economy to 2030, orientation toward 2045;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 48/NQ-CP dated April 3, 2023 of the Government approving the Strategy for sustainable extraction and use of resources and protection of marine and island environment until 2030, orientation toward 2050;

At the request of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment in Submission No. 107/TTr-BTNMT dated December 29, 2023 on the Master Plan for sustainable exploitation and use of coastal resources for the 2021-2030 period, orientation toward 2050 and Appraisal Report No. 01/BC-HDTĐQHTHVB dated December 25, 2023 of the Appraisal Council for the Master Plan for sustainable exploitation and use of coastal resources for the 2021-2030 period, orientation toward 2045.

HEREBY DECIDES:

Article 1. The master plan for sustainable extraction and use of coastal resources for the 2021 – 2030 period, orientation toward 2050 (hereinafter referred to as "Master Plan") is herein approved. The Master Plan shall, inter alia, include the following contents:

I. VIEWPOINTS, OBJECTIVES, VISIONS

1. Viewpoints

a) Specifying the key objectives, orientations, and solutions of the National Master Plan, Strategy for Sustainable Development of Vietnam's maritime economy by 2030, orientation toward 2045, and the Strategy for sustainable extraction and use of resources, protection of sea ​​and island environment by 2030, orientation toward 2050 to be consistent, synchronous and unified with the National Marine Spatial Planning and the National Land Use Planning.

b) Protecting, conserving and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity; maintaining the functions, structures and ability to provide essential products and services of coastal ecosystems for socio-economic development of coastal areas; preventing pollution and environmental incidents, proactively responding to climate change and rising sea levels.

c) Improving the capacity for comprehensive management of resources and protection of the coastal environment; having close and effective connection from planning, investigation, exploration, extraction to processing and use of resources; encouraging the application of advanced and modern models of extraction and use of resources in a green and sustainable direction, within the resilience of the ecosystem and the carrying capacity of the environment.

d) Ensuring people's rights to access the sea; preserving the values and promote the historical traditions, cultural identity of the sea; and ensuring national defense and security within coastal areas.

dd) Expanding and improving the effectiveness of international cooperation; prioritizing fields such as science, technology, basic research, and attracting key investments in the management, extraction, and use of coastal resources.

2. Objectives by 2030

a) General objectives

Effectively managing and extracting coastal resources to contribute to making Vietnam a strong maritime nation, rich from the sea, achieving sustainable, prosperous, secure, and safe development, ensuring livelihoods and improving the living standards of coastal communities while preserving and developing natural, ecological, and cultural values; proactively managing natural disasters, effectively responding to climate change and rising sea levels; tightly controlling and preventing pollution and degradation of the coastal environment and ecosystems.

b) Specific objectives

- Protecting, maintaining, and restoring coastal ecosystems, biodiversity, and other values; increasing the conservation area to protect and preserve the natural values and marine ecosystems, mangrove forests in coastal areas, contributing to achieving the goal of reaching a minimum area of 6% of the national maritime natural area.

- Arranging and distribute space rationally for sectors and fields, addressing fundamental overlaps and conflicts in the extraction and use of coastal resources, ensuring the ecosystem's recovery capacity, protecting the coastal environment, contributing to achieving targets such as: collecting and handling 100% of hazardous waste, domestic solid waste, and 100% of plastic waste on beaches, coastal tourist areas, and marine conservation areas; planning and constructing 100% of economic zones, industrial zones, and coastal urban areas in a sustainable, ecological, intelligent, and safe manner, with centralized wastewater treatment systems meeting environmental regulations and standards.

- Ensuring people's rights to access the sea improving livelihoods and enhancing living standards for coastal communities, eliminating particularly disadvantaged communes in coastal areas, contributing to increasing the average income per capita of coastal provinces and cities by at least 1,2 times compared to the national average income; protecting and preserving cultural heritage, promoting historical traditions, the cultural identity of coastal regions, contributing to the comprehensive development of Vietnamese human culture in line with the trend of times.

- Closely combining national defense and security with the socio-economic; developing national defense works in accordance with military defense planning in coastal defense areas; engaging in international cooperation regarding resources, biodiversity, marine and island environments proactively, with close cooperation during the implementation process among various central authorities and levels of authorities.

- Provide effective assistance in state management of resources and protection of sea ​​and island environment through integrated management, establishing the foundation for all coastal provinces and centrally affiliated coastal cities to effectively develop and implement programs for integrated management of coastal resources.

3. Orientation toward 2050

Coastal resources are managed, extracted, and used efficiently and sustainably to comprehensively develop all maritime economic sectors, contributing to making coastal areas vibrant economic and cultural hubs, attracting investments, serving as gateways connecting land and sea development spaces, connecting trade of Vietnam and international partners; developing coastal areas as a solid foundation for maritime advancement and driving growth in other regions nationwide; ensuring a clean, safe environment and preserving and developing natural, ecological, scenic, cultural, and historical values; firmly ensuring national defense and security, aiming to make Vietnam a strong maritime nation, rich from the sea, achieving sustainable, prosperous, secure, and safe development, with the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

II. SCOPE AND PERIOD OF PLANNING

1. Scope of planning

The scope of coastal planning comprises coastal territorial waters and the coastal land. To be specific:

a) The coastal territorial waters have an inner boundary that is the average low water line in many years (18,6 years) and an outer boundary that is 6 nautical miles from the average low water line in many years.

b) Coastal land includes the coastal communes, wards, and towns affiliated to 28 coastal provinces and central-affiliated cities.

However, to ensure the integrity of important ecosystems, landscapes, and fully pay attention to the strong interaction between land and sea, the coastal spatial scope in some regions is expanded both inland and seaward.

2. Period of planning

The planning is formulated for the 2021 – 2030 period, orientation toward 2050.

III. ZONING FOR EXTRACTION AND USE OF COASTAL RESOURCES

1. For coastal land:

Coastal lands and islands shall be arranged and distributed in accordance with national land use planning and the national master plan according to 04 socio-economic regions: coastal land in the Northern region (from Quang Ninh province to Ninh Binh province); the North Central and Central Coast region (from Thanh Hoa province to Binh Thuan province); the Southeast region, consisting of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province and Ho Chi Minh City; the Southwestern region (from Tien Giang province to Kien Giang province). To promote strong and sustainable development of the blue economy and ensuring the harmony between operations conducted on coastal land and those conducted at the sea, extraction and uses of coastal resources is prioritized for infrastructure development, especially high-speed road corridors, economic zones, industrial parks, and coastal urban areas, to create momentum and drive the growth of maritime economic sectors, connecting coastal regions with islands, key economic areas, and international gateways. Conduct land reclamation in some suitable zones to provide additional space and land for socio-economic development in coastal provinces and central affiliated cities without degradation or decline of natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystems, and cultural and historical values.

a) For Northern coastal land:

Hai Phong - Quang Ninh are is an international marine economic center with a leading position in ASEAN, the gateway and driving force for the development of the Red River Delta; Thai Binh - Nam Dinh - Ninh Binh area strongly and sustainably develops marine economy.

- Regarding infrastructure: Focusing on investing in and completing the coastal infrastructure system, especially coastal roads, railways, and roads connecting seaports to national highways and expressways; research and build new railways connecting seaports and Mong Cai international border gates with Hanoi. Developing coastal urban areas and residential points in direction of forming a chain of coastal urban areas, closely linked to the development of the maritime economy through coastal economic belts.

- Regarding priority economic sectors:

+ Developing highly internationalized tourism areas in Quang Ninh (Van Don, Ha Long Bay), transforming Quang Ninh into a national tourism center connected to major international tourism centers in the region and the world; cooperating in developing the Cat Ba - Ha Long Bay - Bai Tu Long - Van Don tourism area into a center for resort, entertainment, and internationally recognized natural marine and island heritage tourism in Asia-Pacific.

Developing international seaports, domestic and coastal water transport, maritime services, multi-modal logistics services with the center being the Hai Phong - Quang Ninh seaport cluster. Developing Lach Huyen and Nam Do Son ports into an international gateway port cluster; attracting investments to build important seaports such as Nam Tien Phong, Con Ong - Hon Net; constructing international standard yacht marinas in Cua Luc Bay. Developing specialized seaports linked with coastal economic zones; organizing coastal maritime transport corridors, including a coastal corridor spanning Vietnam (from Quang Ninh to Kien Giang), three Northern region corridors (Quang Ninh - Hai Phong - Hanoi, Quang Ninh - Hai Phong - Ninh Binh, Hanoi - Nam Dinh - Ninh Binh), especially the Vangia - Kalong - Hai Phong coastal route.

Continuing to invest in and develop the existing 4 coastal economic zones, including Quang Yen and Van Don (Quang Ninh), Dinh Vu - Cat Hai (Hai Phong), Thai Binh (Thai Binh). Establishing Ninh Co coastal economic zone (Nam Dinh) and a southern coastal economic zone in Hai Phong, including the study of a free trade zone.

Prioritizing industries of building container ships, large cargo ships, specialized ships serving the economy and national defense, the mechanical engineering industry, the automobile industry, and high-tech industries producing electronic equipment and telecommunications, with the center being the Northern (Hai Phong) - Southern (Quang Ninh) region; the textile industry and export-oriented consumer goods industry, concentrated in Hai Phong - Thai Binh - Nam Dinh.

+ Focusing on developing large-scale agricultural production, interregional consumption and export. Developing modern technology-based aquaculture and fishery with intensified protection and regeneration of aquatic resources and establishing and developing a brand with Fishery logistics service center in Hai Phong.

+ Intensifying the application of marine science and technology and maritime workforce training; establishing a high-tech zone, commercial zone, international financial service center in the Hai Phong - Ha Long city area; developing Hai Phong into an international center for training, research, and application of marine science and technology nationwide, including the establishment of the Vietnam Maritime University as a national key institution for research, training to serve sustainable development of the maritime economy.

- Regarding protection and conservation of coastal environment: Restoring and conserving marine ecosystems, protect aquatic resources; Promote regional connection in resource extraction and use, biodiversity conservation, particularly in natural reserves, national natural heritage sites (Bai Tu Long, Ha Long Bay, Cat Ba National Park, Xuan Thuy National Park, etc.); preventing biodiversity loss at river mouths and wetland areas; proactively responding to natural disasters, environmental incidents, climate change, rising sea levels; focusing on upgrading and constructing new disaster management infrastructure systems.

b) North Central and Central Coast land

North Central and Central Coast land is the gateway to the sea for the Central Highlands region and neighboring country - Laos, and has the potential for rapid, strong, and sustainable development in marine economy with modern coastal economic zones, smart coastal urban systems that are environmentally friendly, resilient to natural disasters, and adaptable to climate change; cultural and historical values, as well as ecosystems, that are protected, preserved, and promoted.

- Regarding infrastructure: Synchronously connecting the transport system with coastal economic zones, industrial parks, Da Nang high-tech parks, airports, and seaports; completing local coastal road networks within the region; researching and investing in upgrading horizontal expressways connecting international border gates with seaports; upgrading, renovating, and improving the operation efficiency of existing airports in the region; investing in building new airports in Phan Thiet and Quang Tri; concentrating resources in developing seaports with the potential of turning into specialized seaports, especially in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Da Nang, and Khanh Hoa.

- Regarding development of priority economic sectors: Focusing on developing the marine economy together with ensuring national defense and security at sea, especially in tourism and marine services, maritime economy, processing of petroleum and other marine mineral resources, Aquaculture and fishing, coastal industry, renewable energy, new marine economic sectors, etc. Promoting attracting investment in the existing 11 coastal economic zones, prioritizing those zones that play a crucial role and act as drivers for the socio-economic development of the region.

North Central sub-region (from Thanh Hoa to Quang Binh):

+ Establishing highly attractive international beach tourism centers and areas; connecting the development of beach tourism centers in Southern Thanh Hoa - Northern Nghe An, Southern Nghe An - Northern Ha Tinh; developing Quang Binh into a high-international-standard ecological tourism and beach resort center in the region.

+ Developing seaports, logistics centers serving import and export, transit of goods at the gateway of the Gulf of Tonkin, connecting inter-regionally and internationally, with centers being the Nghi Son, Vung Ang - Cua Lo seaport areas; establishing export processing zones, high-tech industrial parks, international logistics centers linked to seaports.

+ Prioritizing high-tech industries, manufacturing electronics, textiles for export, steel rolling, and automobile manufacturing support industries in Nghe An - Ha Tinh; petrochemical and chemical industries in South Thanh Hoa - North Nghe An associated with Nghi Son economic zone; and the renewable energy industry in coastal Quang Binh - Ha Tinh associated with the development of Vung Ang economic zone.

+ Developing aquaculture, focusing on high-value economic products, serving processing for export with fishery centers in Nghe An and Quang Binh.

Middle Central sub-region (from Quang Tri to Quang Ngai):

+ Developing coastal tourism combined with heritage tourism, cultural and historical sites; connecting and developing the coastal tourism area from Southern Thua Thien Hue - Da Nang - Northern Quang Nam into a center for eco-tourism, beach resorts, and world cultural heritage tourism with international standards.

+ Developing domestic and international container transshipment ports, tourist seaports, domestic and international maritime transport, and services associated with seaports, with the center being the Lien Chieu - Chan May seaport area.

+ Establishing international seaport urban areas, science and technology zones, technical workforce training in the maritime economy sector; commercial areas, international financial transaction centers in the Da Nang city - Hue city - Chan May economic zone.

+ Developing the industry of building and repairing special-use seagoing ships with a center in Da Nang city; steel industry, automobile manufacturing assembly industry, petrochemical and chemical industries in Southern (Quang Nam) - Northern (Quang Ngai); seafood processing industry, coastal mineral industry, export-oriented consumer goods production concentrated in coastal economic zones; expanding and building national petrochemical, chemical, and energy centers in the Dung Quat economic zone; gas industry in coastal Quang Tri, Quang Nam, and Quang Ngai. Intensifying promotion of connection between Chu Lai open economic zone and the Dung Quat economic zone, forming a key coastal industrial center in the region and Vietnam.

+ Developing a fishery service center in Da Nang; developing high-tech aquaculture in Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, and Quang Ngai.

South Central Sub-region (from Binh Dinh to Binh Thuan):

+ Developing tourism areas and coastal tourism urban areas with a high level of internationalization, connecting coastal tourism facilities with heritage tourism facilities, coastal cultural relics with tourism service centers in Nha Trang city, Quy Nhon city, and Phan Thiet city; forming duty-free shopping malls for tourists; developing international coastal tourism urban areas in Khanh Hoa, Nam Phu Yen, and Binh Thuan into high-international standard resort, entertainment, and scuba diving tourism centers in the Asia-Pacific region.

+ Building a comprehensive seaport for transshipment of domestic and international goods and special-use ports serving tourism and national defense, with the center being the Van Phong - Cam Ranh - Quy Nhon seaport area; conducting research on developing the Bai Goc - Dong Hoa area; establishing international port service urban areas linked with the Van Phong and Cam Ranh ports.

+ Developing industry of applying high technology in producing bioproducts, chemical products, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, mechanical industry, industry of marine vessel repair and maintenance with the center in Khanh Hoa - South Phu Yen; export-oriented consumer goods manufacturing industry, seafood processing industry, coastal mineral industry concentrated in coastal economic zones in the region; renewable energy industry concentrated in Binh Dinh, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, into a major renewable energy industrial center on the coast.

Developing the Nhon Hoi economic zone into an area with strong marine economy development; continuing researching and developing coastal economic zones in areas with potential such as Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan while ensuring compliance with applicable regulations.

+ Applying high technology in aquaculture with logistics service centers serving the fisheries in Cam Ranh and concentrated fishery centers in Binh Dinh, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan.

- Developing internationally recognized science and technology services for marine research, environmental protection, marine ecosystems, scientific and technical human resource training in marine and maritime fields, establishing marine science and technology zones, a national marine research center in Khanh Hoa.

- Regarding protection and conservation of coastal environment: Controlling and eliminating environmental pollution, intensifying integrated resource management and protection of marine and island environments, reducing plastic waste, intensifying forecasting, impacting assessment for effective implementation of disaster prevention measures, climate change adaptation, sea-level rise infrastructure development and investment.

c) For Southeast coastal land:

The coastal land of Ba Ria - Vung Tau and Ho Chi Minh city is a strong international maritime economic center in Southeast Asia, focusing on priority sectors such as seaports, logistics services, petroleum extraction, petrochemical, marine tourism, fishing, aquaculture and fishery processing.

- Developing various forms of eco-tourism, resort tourism, cultural tourism, sports tourism, high-quality entertainment services. Developing coastal tourism urban chains towards green urban.

- Investing in improving coastal road systems; promoting the development of the Cai Mep - Thi Vai - Sao Mai - Ben Dinh port area, linking with Ho Chi Minh City's seaport, with a priority on developing the Cai Mep - Thi Vai international gateway port into a major international transshipment port, with regional and international stature; researching and building an international transshipment port in Can Gio; upgrading the technical level of inland waterway flow routes; establishing port clusters to meet the collection and distribution needs for large seaports in the region. Building a free trade zone linked to the seaport in the Cai Mep Ha area, forming a complete ecosystem of industry and services.

- Developing Ba Ria - Vung Tau into a national maritime economic center based on petrochemical industry, petroleum processing industry, chemical industry, renewable energy industry, shipbuilding industry; high-value aquaculture linked with commercial fishing services and export-concentrated processing.

- Developing coastal reserve forests; intensifying protection and conservation of biodiversity in the Can Gio Biosphere Reserve.

d) For Southwest coastal land:

The coastal land of the Southwest region of Vietnam are emerging as strong maritime economic hubs in Southeast Asia, focusing on development of green industry development, clean energy, renewable energy, particularly wind and solar power, with forest and coastal protection; aquaculture, fishing, logistics services, and modern fishing infrastructure to serve offshore fishing; establishment and development of eco-tourism, contributing actively to natural disaster management, minimize the damage caused by natural disasters, and improve adaptation to climate change and rising sea levels.

- Regarding infrastructure: Completing a transportation system to connect with major economic centers in the region and the world; focusing on optimizing the use of seaports, with Tran De Port (Soc Trang seaport) envisioned to be developed into a special seaport, serving as the gateway to the Mekong Delta region; upgrading, renovating, and maintaining navigation channels to ensure stable and efficient operations in line with the capacity of the seaport system, with an emphasis on navigation channels that allow large-size ships to enter the Hau River and Tran De navigation channel.

- Regarding development of priority economic sectors:

+ Developing the gas industry, gas processing industry, gas electricity industry, renewable energy industry; protecting the mangrove ecosystem associated with coastal protection, disaster management, and adaptation to climate change, rising sea levels. Researching and developing Tra Vinh, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau into national renewable energy export centers.

+ Promoting aquaculture, fishing in coastal areas in a modern, sustainable direction; developing fishery processing industry, logistics services, and fishery infrastructure; regenerating aquatic resources and protecting marine biodiversity.

West sub-region (from Kien Giang to Southwest Ca Mau):

+ Encouraging eco-tourism, coastal nature reserve tourism combined with community cultural tourism; strengthening the network of tourism establishments, establishing distinctive eco-cultural tourism areas along the Southwest coastal region, being developed into a center for highly attractive coastal riverine mangrove eco-tourism in Southeast Asia.

+ Developing seaports for exporting agricultural and aquatic products, exporting and importing goods, and logistics services with the center being the international port area in Tra Vinh - Soc Trang, closely connected to Can Tho port; establishing an inter-regional and international logistics service center in the Dinh An economic zone.

+ Establishing international export processing zones, high-tech industrial parks, concentrated processing industrial parks associated with focal seaports; developing renewable energy industries in the coastal provinces, forming networks to build a major national renewable energy industrial belt; promoting the development of agricultural mechanical industry, industry of building and repairing coastal cargo and passenger ships and waterway vehicles, and seafood processing industry.

+ Developing the coastal economic center of the sub-region in Soc Trang city; applying high-tech aquaculture, adapting to climate change with the aquaculture center in Bac Lieu; developing modern fishing infrastructure to support offshore fishing in the southern coastal region with fishery centers in Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Bac Lieu; establishing a center for marine fishing logistics service base at the Hau River estuary.

East sub-region (from Southwest Ca Mau to Kien Giang):

Developing Kien Giang into the national marine economic center; establishing a coastal tourism network connecting with the islands of Phu Quoc, Tho Chu, Nam Du, Kien Hai, and Hon Chong.

+ Developing tourism seaports, seaports for import and export of goods, domestic and international transit seaports, and related services, focusing on the Rach Gia - Hon Chong port area and the Nam Can - Ong Doc port; attracting investment to develop the Nam Can economic port into a gateway seaport for goods transit; researching and investing in developing the Hon Khoai port into a comprehensive port.

+ Encouraging the development of fishery processing and aquatic feed production industry, gas processing industry, gas power production industry, and export-oriented consumer goods production industry concentrated along the coastline from Kien Giang to North Ca Mau.

+ Establishing a large and modern national center for fisheries, aquaculture, and aquatic breed production in Kien Giang; developing large-scale aquaculture together with the conservation of mangrove ecosystems and linked with supporting services for aquaculture and export processing.

- Regarding protection and conservation of coastal environment: Continuing to protect and develop natural reserves, diverse biological conservation facilities, and important wetland areas in coastal localities.

2. For coastal territorial waters

Zoning for extraction and use of resources from coastal territorial waters shall be carried out based on the functions of different areas and the principles of handling overlapping according to the following priority order: (1) National defense and security purpose; (2) Purposes of protecting and conserving marine ecosystems; (3) Economic development activities. The prioritization of sea use in case of overlapping economic development purposes is in the following order: (1) Tourism and marine services; (2) Maritime economy; (3) Extraction of petroleum and other marine mineral resources; (4) Aquaculture and fishing; (5) Renewable energy and new economic sectors.

If deemed necessary, based on proposals from provincial People's Committees and relevant ministries and central authorities, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall propose to the Prime Minister to adjust the priority order for specific coastal areas based on the analysis and evaluation of economic, social, and environmental efficiency, costs, and the ability to support sovereignty protection, security at sea.

Vietnam's coastal territorial waters are divided into many resource extraction and use zones, including: (1) Areas in which resource extraction and use are prohibited with 73 areas covering a total area of about 45,3 thousand hectares (hereinafter referred to as “prohibited zones”); (2) Areas in which resource extraction and use are restricted (hereinafter referred to as “restricted zones”) with 429 areas covering a total area of about 3.256 thousand hectares, including 263 areas for conditional resource extraction and use covering about 3.119 thousand hectares and 166 Protected zones covering about 137 thousand hectares; (3) Areas in which resource extraction and use are encouraged (hereinafter referred to as “extractive zones”) including prioritized extractive zones covering about 874 thousand hectares; prospective zones needing investigation and research (hereinafter referred to as “prospective zones”) for sand extraction covering about 698 thousand hectares; prospective zones for mineral extraction covering about 559 thousand hectares; multi-purpose extractive zones covering a total area of about 1.884 thousand hectares.

a) Northern coastal territorial waters

- (1) Prohibited zones cover a total area of nearly 4 thousand hectares, including: 11 Prohibited zones used for marine conservation purposes with an area of around 2.5 thousand hectares and 8 areas designated for reserve purposes with an area of about 1.5 thousand hectares.

- Restricted zones cover approximately 159 thousand hectares, including:

+ Conditional resource extraction and use zones that cover approximately 129 thousand hectares: 4 areas for conditional resource extraction and use for marine conservation purposes covering approximately 22 thousand hectares; 9 areas for conditional resource extraction and use for protecting fisheries resources with an area of about 11 thousand hectares; 1 area for conditional resource extraction and use for artificial habitat for aquatic species covering about 1 thousand hectares; 3 areas for conditional resource extraction and use for temporary prohibition of fishing activities over an area of around 51 thousand hectares and 37 other conditional resource extraction and use areas covering approximately 44 thousand hectares.

+ Protected zones that cover over 30,2 thousand hectares: 1 Protected zone for marine conservation purposes covering more than 200 hectares and 95 protected zones for important habitats covering approximately 30 thousand hectares.

- Extractive zones, including:

+ Prioritized extractive zones covering approximately 166 thousand hectares, comprising 3 prioritized areas for tourism development and 9 prioritized areas for port services development.

Prospective zones including prospective zones for sand extraction covering about 19 thousand hectares and prospective zones for mineral extraction covering approximately 16 thousand hectares.

+ Multi-purpose extractive zones covering approximately 270 thousand hectares.

b) Coastal territorial waters of North Central and Central Vietnam:

- Prohibited zones cover approximately 40 thousand hectares, including: 30 prohibited zones used for marine conservation purposes covering approximately 8 thousand hectares and 17 areas designated for reserve purposes covering approximately 32 thousand hectares.

- Restricted zones cover approximately 1.850 thousand hectares, including:

+ Conditional resource extraction and use zones that cover approximately 1.839 thousand hectares: 13 areas for conditional resource extraction and use for marine conservation purposes covering approximately 97 thousand hectares; 39 areas for conditional resource extraction and use for protecting fisheries resources covering approximately 225 thousand hectares; 13 area for conditional resource extraction and use for artificial habitat for aquatic species covering about 11 thousand hectares; 30 areas for conditional resource extraction and use for temporary prohibition of fishing activities covering approximately 631 thousand hectares and 71 other conditional resource extraction and use areas covering approximately 875 thousand hectares.

+ Protected zones covering approximately 11 thousand hectares: 8 areas designated for special protection for marine conservation purposes covering more than 1 hectares and 36 protected zones for important habitats covering approximately 10 thousand hectares.

- Prioritized extractive zones include:

+ Prioritized extractive zones covering approximately 266 thousand hectares, comprising 13 prioritized areas for tourism development and 27 prioritized areas for port services development.

+ Prospective zones, including: Prospective zones for sand extraction covering approximately 570 thousand hectares and prospective zones for mineral extraction covering approximately 493 thousand hectares.

+ Multi-purpose extractive zones covering a total area of approximately 870 thousand hectares.

c) Southeast coastal territorial waters

- Restricted zones cover approximately 299 thousand hectares, including:

+ Conditional resource extraction and use zones that cover approximately 297 thousand hectares: 2 areas for conditional resource extraction and use for the purpose of artificial habitat for aquatic species covering approximately 2 thousand hectares; 2 areas for conditional resource extraction and use for temporary prohibition of fishing activities covering approximately 193 thousand hectares; and 2 other conditional resource extraction and use areas covering approximately 102 thousand hectares.

+ Protected zones including 3 protected zones for important habitats covering over 2 thousand hectares.

- Prioritized extractive zones include:

+ Prioritized extractive zones covering approximately 73 thousand hectares, comprising 2 prioritized areas for tourism development and 2 prioritized areas for port services development.

Prospective zones including prospective zones for sand extraction covering about 72 thousand hectares and prospective zones for mineral extraction covering about 50 thousand hectares.

+ Multi-purpose extractive zones covering a total area of approximately 76 thousand hectares.

d) Southwest coastal territorial waters

- Prohibited zones cover approximately 1,3 thousand hectares, including: 3 prohibited areas used for marine conservation purposes with an area of around 1thousand hectares and 8 areas designated for reserve purposes with an area of about 300 hectares.

- Restricted zones cover approximately 948 thousand hectares, including:

+ Conditional resource extraction and use zones that cover approximately 854 thousand hectares: 2 areas for conditional resource extraction and use for marine conservation purposes covering approximately 4 thousand hectares; 2 areas for conditional resource extraction and use for protecting fisheries resources with an area of about 67 thousand hectares; 4 area for conditional resource extraction and use for artificial habitat for aquatic species covering about 3 thousand hectares; 16 areas for conditional resource extraction and use for temporary prohibition of fishing activities over an area of around 710 thousand hectares and 13 areas for other conditional resource extraction and use purposes over an area of about 70 thousand hectares.

+ Protected zones including 23 protected zones for important habitats covering over 94 thousand hectares.

- Prioritized extractive zones include:

+ Priority encouraged exploitation and resource use areas covering approximately 369 thousand hectares, including: 3 prioritized areas for tourism development and 8 prioritized areas for port services development covering approximately 361 thousand hectares; 28 prioritized areas encouraged for wind power development covering approximately 13 thousand hectares.

+ Prospective zones for sand extraction covering about 37 thousand hectares.

+ Multi-purpose extractive zones covering a total area of approximately 668 thousand hectares.

IV. ORIENTATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, NATURAL DISASTER MANAGMENT, AND ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE, RISING SEA LEVELS

1. Preventing the risk of coastal resource and environment degradation due to resource extraction, impacts of natural disasters, climate change, and sea-level rise.

a) Increase the area and improve regulations on the use of conservation areas, protected areas, and biological diversity corridors in coastal areas according to this Planning, in compliance with the Law on Biodiversity, Law on Fisheries, and other relevant legislative documents.

b) Resolve the conflicts between environmental protection and economic development in coastal territorial waters thoroughly and ensure national defense and security.

c) Complete regulations on operations of related sectors, in accordance with the regulations on the use of different types of resource extraction areas in coastal regions as per the Planning.

d) Shift fishing activities further offshore, develop offshore wind power to reduce pressure on coastal resource extraction and use.

dd) Strengthen the technical infrastructure of coastal areas, aligning with the zoning of coastal land to improve the resilience and adaptation to natural disasters, climate change, and rising sea level.

e) Build and implement comprehensive coastal resource management programs; zone resource extraction and use in coastal areas in regional and provincial planning.

2. Restoration of coastal environment during and after extraction and use of resources.

a) Timely handle environmental incidents that occur during the process of coastal resource extraction and use; restore the environment, replenish biodiversity, prioritize areas used for protection, conservation of aquatic resources, and people's livelihood.

b) Thoroughly address pollution hotspots in coastal waters, focusing on areas with high-intensity multi-purpose extraction and use.

c) Promptly and effectively restore important ecosystems that have been degraded or destroyed, especially coral reefs, mangrove forests; critically endangered wildlife species; valuable, rare, and economically important indigenous genetic resources.

d) Restore coastal areas that have been exploited inappropriately, not in line with the functions of areas designated for economic and social development purposes.

3. Combining environmental protection and natural disaster management with coastal resource extraction and use.

a) Develop the coastal economy in an ecological, circular, green growth direction, promote sustainable production and consumption; use clean, efficient energy; develop eco-friendly, smart industrial parks and coastal urban areas that are resilient to climate change, rising sea level; encourage initiatives to develop green marine economy.

b) Ensure requirements for natural disaster management, rescue operation, and build coastal infrastructure.

c) Effectively manage sources of marine pollution, including plastic waste.

d) Proactively prevent and respond to environmental incidents such as oil spills, leaks, toxic chemical dispersal, and waste during coastal resource extraction and use.

dd) Integrate environmental protection and natural disaster management requirements into the operation regulations of relevant sectors in line with regulations on coastal resource extraction and use.

V. SOLUTIONS

1. Regarding management

a) Enhance the legal system regarding the sustainable management, extraction, and use of resources, coastal environmental protection, assignment of sea areas, conservation nature and biodiversity, and adaptation to climate change, rising sea level to ensure a comprehensive legal framework for implementing Planning; review, amend the Laws on natural resources and environment of sea and island, and related laws and regulations.

b) Improve mechanisms and policies towards administrative reform, promote decentralization and delegation of authority in the management, extraction, and use of the sea and islands, ensure principles of transparency and openness in planning information; develop and issue specific mechanisms and policies tailored to each coastal area according to the planning; specify preferential policies to attract domestic and foreign investors for rapid development of encouraged areas; research and apply incentive policies that are more beneficial than current policies for particularly disadvantaged areas in regions combining economic development with national defense and security.

c) Zone extraction and use of coastal resources within regional planning, provincial planning; promote the construction and implementation of comprehensive resource management programs for coastal areas at the local and interprovincial levels; complete the establishment and demarcation of coastal protection corridors in coastal provinces, centrally affiliated cities as stipulated by the Law on natural resources and environment of sea and island.

d) Continue to restructure state regulatory authority, ensure sufficient authority and capacity to lead the coordination of relevant central and local authorities; establish coordination mechanisms, inter-sectoral, inter-regional, and inter-locality cooperation, criteria, and regulations for handling overlapping, conflicting areas in the order of priority in the extraction and use of coastal resources that are not yet identified in the plan, and specific management regulations for each type of coastal area according to the planning.

dd) Build a database system on seas and islands; cooperation mechanisms, information sharing about the management, extraction and use of the sea by economic sectors and coastal local areas.

e) Promote the development and application of economic tools and policies in marine environmental management; establish coordination mechanisms among ministries, departments, central authorities in building, operating marine conservation areas and regulations on supporting people in marine conservation areas in livelihood transformation.

g) Encourage the development of ecological, green, circular economy models in socio-economic development such as eco-urban areas, green urban areas, smart cities, industrial parks, green economic zones, circular economy to reduce waste into the marine environment.

2. Regarding the environment, science, and technology

a) Promote digital transformation in the management, extraction, and use of marine and coastal resources; by 2025, aim to complete and interconnect the information system and database on national marine resources and environment in a centralized, unified manner, including data on planning; ensure public disclosure in a transparent manner, and establish conditions that enable individuals and businesses to access information, data on planning, and implementation plans.

b) Apply remote sensing technology, resource and environment integrated monitoring technology, geographic information system (GIS) in monitoring the implementation of planning, investigation, evaluation, forecasting, early warning, response to natural disasters, climate change, rising sea level, and coastal resource management, environmental protection.

c) Research, apply science and technology in restoring degraded ecosystems, preventing, minimizing coastal erosion, natural disaster management, environmental incidents; efficiently apply scientific achievements in management, investigation, survey, monitoring, inspection, supervising the biodiversity of marine ecosystems.

d) Build and complete automatic environmental monitoring stations at river mouths and coastal areas; enhance research, development, and transfer of new, modern technologies in energy production transformation towards clean energy, using energy efficiently, with low greenhouse gas emissions.

3. Regarding communication, raising awareness

a) Intensify communication, dissemination of planning to authorities at all levels, socio-political, economic, professional organizations and coastal communities; encourage the participation of relevant parties in the process of organizing the implementation of planning, monitoring the implementation of planning, focusing on the involvement of vulnerable groups.

b) Raise awareness, consciousness for coastal communities in protecting, extracting, using coastal resources, protection of marine environment and species, biodiversity conservation; raise awareness of compliance with laws, fulfilling social responsibilities in protecting coastal and marine resources and environment.

c) Diversify forms, contents, and methods of providing information on coastal planning, comprehensive management suitable for the target audience; intensify the dissemination of laws on protection of resources, environment, biodiversity, especially on various media; honor examples and initiatives of organizations and individuals in protecting marine resources and environment; combine traditional methods with technology applications, suitable for each target to convey accurate, timely, effective information.

4. Regarding training and capacity building

a) Promote the development of high-quality marine management human resources; develop a team of experts in planning, comprehensive management of coastal and marine resources; establish and implement training programs to improve expertise in implementation of planning and comprehensive management of coastal resources for marine management officers from central to local levels.

b) Improve the effectiveness of orientation activities in upper secondary schools; at the same time, implement socialized education policies and call for investment in building schools and vocational centers to ensure vocational training for workers, especially rural and coastal workers over the age of 30, who have difficulty finding jobs in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

c) Provide conditions and enhance cooperation capacity in enforcing laws on marine planning, protection of marine resources and environment for environmental police, forest rangers, fisheries resources surveillance force, customs, border guards; mobilize the participation of military forces in the management and protection of marine resources and environment..

d) Focus on training related to marine planning, comprehensive management of marine resources and environment in universities and education institutions; effectively provide vocational training, thereby meeting labor requirements of marine economic sectors and people’s demand for change in jobs in coastal zones.

dd) Develop policies on support and improvement of training quality and build up a network of local training institutions providing marine human resources that reach the advanced level.

5. Regarding finance, investment

a) Invest with focus and priority in key sectors, fields, and large projects, crucial infrastructure works with significant ripple effects; improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operation, allocation, management of budget and public investment at all levels; prioritize state budget resources for basic investigation, development, and improvement of information systems and databases on the sea and coastal areas; prioritize the allocation of state budget resources according to the principle of "Using public investment to lead private investment," playing a leading role as a catalyst to attract investment sources from non-state economic sectors, creating momentum for sustainable maritime economic growth.

b) Continue to promote administrative procedure reform and improve the business environment; focus on attracting and developing economically advantageous sectors in coastal areas; innovate and improve the management mechanism and economic development model of the coastal areas, including piloting new institutions and models of management and development of the marine economy with a high level of internationalization associated with focal seaports and large coastal cities to strongly attract investors, enterprises, and service providers to operate in a concentrated manner and collaborate with each other in production and business.

c) Encourage socialization and diversification of investment forms; efficiently utilize capital sources from economic components for implementing planning, especially hunger eradication, poverty reduction, environmental pollution treatment, biodiversity conservation in coastal areas; intensify enhance mobilization of investment capital through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) for large projects.

6. Regarding international cooperation

a) Strengthen international cooperation in implementing planning, basic investigations, sustainable management, and use of coastal resources; extract potential resources to develop the coastal economy.

b) Continue to promote cooperation, make use of support from partners, international organizations, and regions to develop human resources, invest in building coastal infrastructure, apply modern science and technology to coastal economic sectors, protect the environment, disaster management, and adaptation to climate change and rising sea level.

Article 2. Implementation

1. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall

a) Take charge and cooperate with ministries, ministerial agencies, People's Committees of provinces, centrally affiliated coastal cities in organizing and inspecting the planning implementation; periodically conducting assessments, reviews, and adjustments to the planning as regulated; publicly announcing the planning according to the Law on Planning.

b) Develop and manage a database system of planning implementation; update planning information on the information system, national database on planning as regulated.

c) Take charge and cooperate with relevant ministries, central authorities in formulating plans, proposing necessary solutions for unified, effective implementation of planning; reviewing, proposing policies on comprehensive coastal management, sustainable coastal economic development.

d) Research and propose models; strengthen comprehensive marine management agencies that are capable of taking charge in organizing implementation of planning at central and local levels.

dd) Cooperate with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and Investment in allocating annual budgets; synthesize and submit to competent authorities the mid-term and annual public investment plans to implement the planning.

2. Ministries, ministerial agencies within their jurisdiction shall cooperate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and People's Committees of provinces, centrally affiliated coastal cities in allocating resources, proposing mechanisms, policies to effectively implement objectives of the planning, ensuring consistency, alignment between plans in the planning system and related strategies.

3. People's Committees of coastal provinces and centrally affiliated cities shall:

a) Take charge and cooperate with relevant agencies in closely managing, inspecting and supervising extraction and use of coastal resources in accordance with the local Planning.

b) Review, adjust provincial planning to ensure alignment with this planning; complete the announcement, demarcation of coastal protection corridors; develop and implement comprehensive coastal resource management program as regulated.

c) Submit to the People's Council of the same level to allocate funds for implementation of tasks under the planning in accordance with the Law on State Budget and Law on Public Investment.

The list of priority programs, projects, tasks in implementing the planning in the 2021-2030 period proposed in Appendix I.

Article 3. This Decision comes into force from the date which it is signed

Ministers, Heads of ministerial agencies, Heads of Governmental agencies, Chairmen of People’s Committees of provinces and centrally affiliated cities and relevant agencies are responsible for the implementation of this Decision./.

APPENDIX

LIST OF PRIORITY PROGRAMS, PROJECTS, TASKS IN IMPLEMENTING THE PLANNING IN THE 2021-2030 PERIOD
(Attached to Decision No. 1117/QD-TTg dated October 7, 2024, of the Prime Minister)