The tax was proposed in the government's draft amendments to the Law on Corporate Income Tax that has been submitted to the National Assembly Standing Committee for consideration, reports TheNation.
Fishermen Le Van Tien from Xuan Ha Ward in central Danang City’s Thanh Khe district said his work did not just earn him a living, but was also a traditional profession inherited from previous generations.
He said the government should not impose any tax on offshore fishing, as a 10 per cent tariff might not be high enough for the state, but was considerable for fishermen because the job was risky and did not bring a stable income.
Vo Thien Lang, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Fisheries Association, told the newspaper that corporate income tax imposed on offshore fishing cooperatives or seafood-processing companies would adversely affect fishermen.
Due to difficulties in sales, cooperatives and companies would seek ways to maintain profits, which could mean paying less to fishermen.
This meant that fishermen would be taxed indirectly, Lang added.
Currently, local authorities are encouraging fishermen to set up offshore cooperatives, rather than working independently, to lower costs and lengthen the time they are at sea.
If the tax is applied, these measures to motivate fishermen would be ineffective.
