Border Guards join hands to remove IUU “yellow card”: A never-ending mission

In recent times, units of the Provincial Border Guard have consulted and coordinated with local Party committees, authorities and relevant forces to resolutely and persistently implement measures to prevent fishing vessels and fishermen from violating foreign waters.

Widely disseminate and strictly handle violations.

The work of preventing and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing has been vigorously implemented by the provincial Border Guard. According to Colonel Nguyen Ba Binh, Deputy Political Commissar of the Provincial Border Guard Command, Binh Dinh is a locality with a large offshore fishing fleet. The provincial Border Guard has coordinated with relevant units to organize propaganda and mobilize fishermen to go offshore to fish, both effectively exploiting marine resources and participating in protecting the sovereignty of the Fatherland's sea and islands.

The provincial Border Guard propagated and mobilized fishermen who had just arrived at Tam Quan fishing port (Hoai Nhon town) to do a good job of preventing and combating IUU fishing.    Photo: HP

From the beginning of 2024 until now, promoting the achievements, propaganda and mobilization work for the people continued to be carried out in many forms and effective ways with 78 sessions/4,680 participants. At the same time, 62 border guard party members were assigned to be in charge of 306 households, including 125 families of ship owners and fishermen; mobilizing 6,230 vehicle owners to sign a commitment not to violate foreign waters.

In particular, the provincial Border Guard has coordinated with relevant units to mobilize 215 fishing vessels with lengths from 12 m to under 15 m engaged in squid fishing, regularly operating fishing and entering and leaving ports in the southern provinces, to install voyage monitoring equipment. Up to now, 190/215 fishing vessels have been installed according to the province's requirements, the remaining 25 vessels are still on shore, not operating so they have not been installed, the vessel owners committed to installing voyage monitoring equipment when taking the vessels to participate in fishing activities.

Notably, the provincial Border Guard also organized investigations, verifications, and strict handling of cases of fishing vessels violating regulations in the field of fisheries and combating IUU fishing. When issuing decisions on penalties, they were made public on mass media to enhance education and deterrence. Recently, on April 15, the Commander of the provincial Border Guard issued a decision to impose an administrative fine of VND 75 million on the owner of fishing vessel BD 31232-TS for using a fishing vessel with a length of 12 m to less than 15 m beyond the permitted fishing area at sea without written approval (except in cases of force majeure).

Colonel Tran Van Dung, Deputy Commander of the Provincial Border Guard Command, added: From 2024 to present, the Provincial Border Guard has advised the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to issue decisions to administratively sanction 8 ship owners with a total fine of 7.2 billion VND for fishing in the waters of other countries and territories without a license as prescribed; prosecuted 1 criminal case for the crime of "organizing illegal exit and entry for others" (related to 2 fishing vessels illegally fishing outside Vietnam's waters), completed the file and handed it over to the Provincial Police for further investigation and handling according to authority. In addition, the Provincial Border Guard has detected and administratively sanctioned 106 cases/106 fishing vessels/124 subjects with a fine of over 4.3 billion VND.

With many forms of propaganda, flexible mobilization, strict punishment and prosecution of serious cases, fishermen have gradually changed, become more aware, and proactively comply with legal regulations related to fishing activities.

Closely manage and monitor

To enhance the effectiveness of management and monitoring of fishing vessels, the provincial Border Guard has effectively promoted technical means, equipment systems for observation, reconnaissance, communication monitoring, and voyage monitoring equipment (VMS); warning, detecting, and promptly preventing fishing vessels that cross the border with signs of illegally exploiting seafood in foreign waters.

The provincial Border Guard strictly controls 100% of fishing vessels entering and leaving port, and does not allow fishing vessels that do not meet the conditions for fishing to leave port. Photo: HP

For example, from April 11 to 17, 10 fishing boats of the province lost VMS connection at sea for more than 6 hours. Of which, fishing boat BD 92127-TS of Mr. TQT (in My Thang commune, Phu My district) crossed the permitted boundary at sea on the morning of April 14. Immediately, the provincial Border Guard directed My An Border Guard Station to contact the boat owner and call on the captain to bring the fishing boat back to the free fishing zone in Vietnam's waters at noon the same day.

Colonel Tran Van Dung said: In cases where fishing boats lose connection at sea, the provincial Border Guard has directed the Cat Khanh, My An Border Guard Stations, and Quy Nhon Port Border Gate to promptly inspect, verify, and notify the boat owner's family to contact the captain to fix the problem, maintain the VMS connection signal, or bring the fishing boat back to shore if the problem cannot be fixed. At the same time, organize investigations, verifications, and handle violations according to authority.

According to statistics from the provincial Border Guard, as of April 17, the whole province had 5,929 fishing vessels with a length of 6 m or more registered to participate in fishing activities. Of which, 1,899 were in coastal areas, 833 were in offshore areas and 3,197 were in the open sea. There were 3,169 vessels with the longest length of 15 m or more in operation and equipped with VMS; 29 vessels had not installed VMS equipment, of which 11 vessels had not completed procedures to transfer the name of the VMS equipment.

Determining that removing the IUU “yellow card” is to ensure the interests of the nation, the interests of the people, the entire political system in the province joins in with the highest determination. The anti-IUU fishing measures of the province in general and the provincial Border Guard in particular focus on key areas, contents or cases where violations often occur, with high risks. Thanks to that, from May 2024 to now, no vessel of the province has violated foreign waters.

Regarding solutions for the coming time, Colonel Nguyen Van Linh, Commander of the Provincial Border Guard Command, said: The Provincial Border Guard will continue to coordinate with the Border Guards of other provinces to strictly inspect and control fishing vessels of Binh Dinh province that are not qualified for anchoring or operating at the port, not allowing them to leave the port to exploit aquatic products, and strictly handle violations. Direct border control stations and posts to strictly control 100% of fishing vessels entering and leaving the station; not allowing fishing vessels that are not qualified for aquatic products to leave the port to exploit aquatic products; strictly handle violations. Organize inspection and strictly control of fishing vessel monitoring equipment, ensuring that 100% of fishing vessels with a length of 15 m or more must have a signal before leaving the port. Handle 100% of fishing vessels that are warned of exceeding the permitted boundary at sea, and fishing vessels that lose connection during operations at sea when the vessels return to the port.

HONG PHUC

Source: https://baobinhdinh.vn/viewer.aspx?macm=1&macmp=3&mabb=354775