Ha Tinh and other localities and units should prepare well for the 4th EC inspection delegation in October 2023. Pay special attention to issues related to fishing vessel registration and inspection and loss of connection to monitoring devices when operating at sea.
On the morning of August 29, in Hanoi, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang chaired a conference to promote solutions to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing), preparing to welcome and work with the 4th EC inspection delegation. Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Linh and Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Van Viet chaired the Ha Tinh bridge. |
In recent times, Vietnam has implemented solutions to combat IUU fishing, the basic legal framework has met international requirements and continues to be improved in a positive direction.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development directed localities to review the entire number of fishing vessels and update fishing vessel data in the national fisheries database VNFishbase. As of August 29, 2023, the country had 86,820 fishing vessels with a length of 6m or more (a decrease of 9,789 compared to 2019), of which 30,091 fishing vessels were 15m or more in length (a decrease of 1,206 compared to 2019).
Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Linh and Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Van Viet chaired the Ha Tinh bridge.
The fishing vessel monitoring system has been deployed synchronously from the central to local levels; 24/7 on-duty teams have been organized to monitor and control fishing vessel activities at sea; 97.86% (28,753/29,381) of fishing vessels with a length of 15 meters or more have installed vehicle monitoring devices (VMS).
Focus on controlling the activities of fishing vessels entering and leaving the port, monitoring the output of exploited aquatic products unloaded through the port; confirming, certifying and tracing the origin...
Control of the origin of imported aquatic products from abroad has been strengthened, ensuring compliance with Vietnamese law and basically meeting international regulations. Along with that, patrolling, checking and controlling in bordering, overlapping and key sea areas to prevent and handle fishing vessels with violations have been focused on.
However, despite many efforts, our country's work to prevent IUU fishing still has many limitations that are slow to be overcome. Up to now, the whole country has not completed the registration of fishing vessels and the issuance of fishing licenses; and has been slow to update fishing vessel data into the national fisheries database VNFishbase. The situation of fishing vessels participating in fishing activities that do not meet all the conditions continues to occur.
The situation of fishing vessels disconnecting from VMS occurs commonly and in large numbers. Fishing vessels often operate in the wrong areas (such as in Hai Phong, Quang Ninh provinces...), crossing maritime boundaries detected through the Fishing Vessel Monitoring System, but the verification and handling process is very limited when the vessels dock at port.
Most of the fishing logs that were inspected were memoirs, recorded incorrectly, with incomplete catches, and species not recorded... leading to unreliability in traceability.
Control of imported seafood products from foreign countries has not been fully ensured according to international regulations; there is no mechanism to control the origin of seafood products imported into Vietnam by container ships; it has not been ensured that 100% of raw materials entering seafood processing facilities are certified against IUU fishing.
In particular, the situation of fishing vessels illegally exploiting seafood in foreign waters continues to occur, with complicated and unpredictable developments (from the beginning of 2023 to August 2023, 39 vessels/252 fishermen continued to be arrested and handled by foreign countries).
At the conference, localities, ministries and sectors focused on discussing the limitations and difficulties in combating IUU fishing. Many key issues related to the preparation for the EC inspection team scheduled to arrive in October 2023 were discussed, such as: solutions to thoroughly prevent Vietnamese fishing vessels from illegally fishing in foreign waters; verifying the origin of seafood caught for export; handling violations is not thorough and does not have a high deterrent effect...
Currently, Ha Tinh has no fishing vessels violating foreign waters. Ha Tinh has also focused on strengthening coordination to launch peak periods of patrolling, inspecting, controlling and strictly punishing acts against IUU fishing according to regulations. Sectors, localities, the Management Board of fishing ports and fishing wharves in Ha Tinh... have focused on monitoring fishing vessels through sea voyage monitoring equipment. Up to now, Ha Tinh has 2,784/2,784 fishing vessels registered in the national fishing vessel registry; 92/92 fishing vessels operating in offshore areas have installed VMS voyage monitoring equipment... |
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang. Illustrative photo
Concluding the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang requested ministries, branches and localities to carefully prepare working content and develop a master plan to receive and work with the EC Inspection Delegation to Vietnam for the 4th on-site inspection in October 2023, determined to remove the "Yellow Card" warning.
Accordingly, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang proposed establishing a special working group of the Government to directly and effectively direct related work to serve the EC inspection team.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs promptly grasps and collects information, closely coordinates with relevant ministries, branches and localities to consolidate records, investigate and thoroughly handle cases of fishing vessels violating illegal exploitation in foreign waters, not to affect Vietnam's reputation in the international arena.
In particular, focus on implementing strong and resolute measures to prevent and not allow fishing vessels to violate illegal fishing in foreign waters; strengthen communication work in the press, disseminate legal regulations on fisheries to people in coastal areas.
The Ministry of National Defense coordinates to strengthen inspection and control in sea areas to minimize violations and prevent Vietnamese fishing boats from being arrested abroad from now until the EC delegation conducts the fourth inspection.
Coastal localities strictly implement regulations on fishing vessel management, complete 100% registration, inspection, and issuance of fishing licenses; control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, entering/exiting ports; closely monitor the output of exploited aquatic products loaded and unloaded through ports; strictly comply with regulations on confirmation, certification, and traceability...
Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Linh spoke at the Ha Tinh bridge.
Directing at the Ha Tinh bridge, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Linh requested departments, branches and localities to strictly implement the contents according to the direction and conclusion of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang at the conference; continue to launch peak patrols, inspections, controls and strictly handle violations according to regulations on preventing IUU fishing.
In the immediate future, the whole province must vigorously implement the contents of the province's Action Plan against IUU fishing, and prepare well for the 4th EC inspection delegation in October 2023. In particular, it is necessary to pay attention to two major issues: the rate of registration and inspection of fishing vessels and the loss of connection to the journey monitoring device when fishing at sea...
Thai Oanh
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