Ordinance on the Conservation and Management of Living Aquatic Resources.

This Ordinance provides for the conservation and management of living resources in inland waters, internal waters, territorial seas, the contigous zones, the exclusive economic zones and the continental shelf of Vietnam.
The text of the Ordinance consists of 27 articles divided into 6 Chapters: General provisions (I); Conservation and management of aquatic resources (II); Management and conservation and development of aquatic resources (III); International links and cooperation on conservation and management of aquatic resources (IV); Reward and penalty (V); Enforcement provisions (VI).
The Ordinance sets out the general principles of management and conservation and the role of the State therein. All aquatic species that "live a natural live in the waters" are owned by the State; those that are reared may also fall under other forms of ownership (art. 2). Article 8 lists several activities which are prohibited under this Ordinance including the clearing of mangrove forests and the use of certain fishing methods. Matters respecting fishing such as total allowable catch quotas or use of gear requiring licences shall be decided by the Minister of Fisheries (arts. 10 and 11).