In order to protect inshore and near shore small-scale fisheries
Decree N123/2006/ND-CP assigned fishing grounds according to
boat capacity and distance from the coastline as follows: boats
with engines below 20 hp must operate 1–6 nm from the coast
(coastal route); boats with capacity from 20 to 89 hp must
operate inshore at 6–24 nm (inshore route); and boats with a
capacity of more than 90 hp must operate more than 24 nm off
shore (offshore route) (Decree N123/2006/ND-CP, Article 4).