The fourth Vietnam Marine Trademark Forum was held in the southern coastal province of Ba Ria –Vung Tau on June 7, to look at ways of boosting the economic potential of the country’s seas and islands in a sustainable manner.

Themed “Economic potential and the ecological environment of Vietnamese islands,” the forum attracted representatives from related central agencies and 28 coastal provinces and cities nationwide.

The participants discussed a wide range of issues, including building up marine trade marks; ways of successfully implementing the national marine strategy; making full use of the country’s maritime advantages to develop a maritime based economy; tourism and climate change.

The forum is a chance for managers, scientists, local officials, domestic and international organisations and businesses to share information and their experiences to combine the development of the sea and islands economic strengths with protecting the eco-system and the environment in general.

The forum was also aimed at raising awareness on the important role that the sea and islands play in the cause of national construction and defence.

On speaking at the forum, the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Chu Pham Ngoc Hien said that Vietnam considers the sea and island based economy as one of five necessary steps to development the maritime based and coastal economies by 2020.

Ba Ria Vung Tau, one of 28 coastal province that possess abundant sea and island economic advantages, also sees its maritime based economy as critical to its economic strategy, said Tran Minh Sanh, Chairman of the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provincial People’s Committee./.