According to the plan, in early November 2024, the European Commission (EC) Inspection Team will come to Vietnam to inspect the prevention and combat of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This inspection trip is extremely important, being the final examination for the EC to draw a conclusion that can remove the "yellow card" warning for Vietnamese exploited seafood products.
Some basic tasks completed
In recent times, sectors and localities in the province have made efforts to seriously and fully implement tasks and solutions to combat IUU fishing and improve fishing port infrastructure. Up to now, a number of key tasks and tasks have been basically completed, achieving positive results, of great significance, contributing to the goal of removing the IUU "yellow card" and sustainable development of the fisheries sector. Accordingly, the province has strictly controlled high-risk fishing vessels, preventing violations of foreign waters. Registration and issuance of fishing licenses for fishing vessels according to Circular 06/2024/TT-BNNPTNT reached nearly 99%. Control of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports and ports, and the deployment of the eCDT system and control of output at ports and traceability have been seriously implemented. The progress of procedures for repairing and improving fishing port infrastructure has been focused on, with some items having started construction.
However, there are still some tasks that have not been completed to ensure the completion of the set targets and progress. The implementation of registration according to Circular No. 06 for fishing vessels with a length of 12 meters or more is slow. The number of fishing vessels that have registered but have not yet been granted/re-granted KTTS Licenses is still high. Many IUU vessels entering and leaving fishing ports have not been handled, affecting the traceability and certification of the origin of exploited aquatic products for businesses. The handling of administrative violations, especially the handling of fishing vessels that have lost VMS connection at sea, is very little. The progress of implementing projects to repair fishing port infrastructure, dredging channels, and handling environmental pollution in fishing port areas has been made efforts, but is still slow.
It can be seen that, besides the low awareness of law compliance of a number of fishermen, the reason is still that some units and individuals have not seriously implemented their assigned duties and tasks, and the functional forces are not determined in enforcing the law and handling violations. At the meeting of the Provincial IUU Steering Committee in the first 9 months of the year, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Hai emphasized: To prepare conditions for working with the 5th EC Inspection Delegation, the sectors and localities are required to focus on overcoming limitations and shortcomings in the work of combating IUU fishing and the tasks assigned by the Provincial People's Committee. Accordingly, the most important task is still to prevent violations in foreign waters, requiring the Provincial Border Guard Command, the Provincial Police, local authorities and related units to continue to strengthen management and closely monitor high-risk vessels, crew members who have violated and been arrested by foreign countries, and resolutely not let the province's fishing vessels violate foreign waters.
Peak closely follows key tasks
In addition, the Department of Fisheries continues to coordinate with localities to focus on completing the registration and granting of fishing licenses for fishing vessels according to Circular 06 and granting and re-granting fishing licenses for groups of vessels that have registered but do not have or have expired licenses in October 2024. Localities strengthen the management of fishing vessels in the area, especially the purchase and transfer of fishing vessels must ensure the prescribed procedures; continue to urge and complete the registration for groups of vessels from 12 meters and above. In particular, the Department of Fisheries (Provincial Fishing Vessel Monitoring Center) is required to organize a serious 24/7 duty to monitor and supervise fishing vessels operating at sea; promptly notify fishing vessels that cross the boundary, lose connection at sea in accordance with procedures and regulations; monitor the handling of fishing vessels showing signs of violations to the end of the incident.
In addition, the Provincial Fishing Port Management Board is required to direct fishing ports to fully and seriously carry out statistics on fishing vessels entering and leaving the port, collect fishing logs, monitor output at the wharf; manage and store records strictly and in accordance with regulations. Regarding difficulties and problems related to confirming the origin of aquatic products for enterprises at Phan Thiet Fishing Port, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is assigned to preside over and coordinate with relevant sectors to work with the Provincial Fishing Port Management Board and the Phan Thiet Fishing Port Management Board to review management measures, strictly implement anti-IUU fishing control work for fishing vessels, purchasing, transshipment, and brokerage at the port, strictly handle violations, and ensure legal exploitation of raw materials for processing and export. Functional forces (Border Guard, Fisheries Surveillance) have increased patrols, inspections and controls at temporary wharves and beaches, strictly handled fishing vessels 15 meters or longer that do not dock at fishing ports, assigned offshore fishing vessels to dock at ports to unload aquatic products and cases of violations of regulations on fishing logs and fishing areas...
Regarding law enforcement and handling of violations, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested functional forces to strengthen the work of grasping the situation, verifying and strictly handling violations; strictly handling irresponsible individuals, abetting and covering up for violators. Regarding handling fishing vessels that have lost connection and crossed the maritime boundary, the district-level working group (Inter-sectoral working group under Decision No. 1608/QD-UBND dated August 28, 2024) is required to urgently organize inspections, verifications and thoroughly handle cases of fishing vessels that have lost connection from October 2023 to present. Assign the Head of the Inter-sectoral Working Group - Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to preside over and coordinate with relevant units to inspect the verification and handling of a number of units and localities; share the verification and handling results with the Provincial Police force for monitoring and inspection...
Along with 28 coastal provinces and cities across the country, Binh Thuan has been affirming its efforts and determination to implement the requirements of the Government and the EC in controlling and exploiting IUU. Aiming for the goal of responsible fisheries management and sustainable development, striving with the whole country to soon remove the EC's "yellow card".
Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/chuan-bi-chu-dao-cac-dieu-kien-don-doan-thanh-tra-cua-ec-lan-5-125073.html
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