Stepping Up Efforts to Combat IUU Fishing

(DTO) On the evening of December 23, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha chaired the 27th meeting of the National Steering Committee for Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.

Pham Thanh Ngai, Chairman of the Dong Thap Provincial People’s Committee, chaired the meeting at the Dong Thap provincial site.

Delivering concluding remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha requested ministries, departments, and localities to continue seriously and decisively implementing the tasks assigned by the Party Secretariat, the Government, and the Prime Minister in combating IUU fishing. The aim is to achieve the “dual goal” of having the European Commission (EC) lift the IUU yellow card while developing a sustainable and responsible fisheries sector for Vietnam.

The Deputy Prime Minister tasked the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment with continuing to lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and departments in inspecting and guiding all coastal localities with fishing vessels to thoroughly prepare for working sessions with the EC inspection team.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha also assigned specific duties to each ministry, department, and locality regarding the investigation and strict handling of brokerage networks and organizations involved in sending fishing vessels and fishers to illegally exploit marine resources in foreign waters, if any; as well as acts of document falsification and fraud within the supply chain and shipments showing signs of IUU violations. He also requested enhanced patrol and control in waters bordering neighboring countries, strict supervision of vessel departures and arrivals, absolute prohibition of leaving port for vessels that fail to meet requirements, and tight management of “three-no” vessels and those unqualified for fishing activities.

According to the Steering Committee, Vietnam currently has 79,213 fishing vessels registered and updated in the national fisheries database, VNFishbase, reaching 100%. All “three-no” vessels, de-registered vessels, and those not eligible for fishing activities have been entered into the management database to ensure transparency for competent forces and localities to monitor vessel movements.

In Dong Thap Province, 1,510 fishing vessels are registered. Among them, 1,319 active vessels have been licensed, inspected, and equipped with Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) devices. The remaining 191 vessels that do not meet operational requirements have been handed over to commune police for sealing and strict weekly monitoring of their mooring positions, with no permission to set sail. 1,505 out of 1,510 vessels have completed identification procedures and synchronized their VMS data with the VNeID system and the national database VNFishbase.

At the meeting, ministries, departments, and localities reported on the progress of their assigned tasks and solutions against IUU fishing, as well as tasks for the coming period.

NAM PHUONG - Y PHUONG
Translated by ANH DUC