On the morning of September 28, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, chaired by Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien, held an online conference with 28 coastal provinces and cities on preparations to welcome and work with the 4th European Commission (EC) Inspection Delegation. At the Binh Thuan bridge, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Hai chaired with members of the Provincial Steering Committee for Combating IUU Fishing and leaders of coastal districts and towns attending.
According to the plan, the Inspection Team is expected to include representatives from the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG-MARE) and the EC Delegation to Vietnam, and will work in Vietnam from October 10 to 18, 2023 to examine the results of the EC's recommendations on IUU. The focus will be on controlling fishing vessels violating foreign waters; controlling fishing vessels entering and leaving ports and operating at sea; controlling imported raw materials and tracing the origin of aquatic products from exploitation.
It is expected that the EC Inspection Delegation will conduct field inspections and technical work from October 10 to 17. Specifically, from October 11 to 15, the Delegation will work with the Department of Animal Health, the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development, a number of exporting enterprises, and conduct field inspections at designated fishing ports under the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) and at localities. On October 16 to 17, they will conduct technical work with the Department of Fisheries Control, the Department of Fisheries, the Department of Animal Health, the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development and relevant units. On October 18, the Delegation will have a high-level dialogue with leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. According to the plan, the EC Delegation will directly inspect the situation and results of combating IUU fishing in a number of coastal provinces and cities from October 10 to 15, 2023. The working program in the provinces will focus on 8 groups of contents.
Through this 4th inspection, the Government leader, Head of the National Steering Committee for Combating IUU Fishing, clearly identified the goal: Continue to affirm Vietnam's strong commitment to combating IUU fishing, moving towards harmonization of international regulations and sustainable development of Vietnam's fishing industry. At the same time, create trust and mutual understanding of the current situation, efforts and determination of Vietnam in combating IUU fishing, as well as in the transition from private fishing to responsible and sustainable fishing through the implementation of the 2017 Fisheries Law. In addition, demonstrate proactively strengthening cooperation with the EC in promoting and effectively implementing the EC's recommendations in the "yellow card warning" on IUU fishing.
At the conference, Mr. Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasized: From now until October 9, before the EC Inspection Delegation comes to conduct the 4th inspection on IUU, it is necessary to complete and thoroughly amend 2 legal documents: Decree No. 26/2019/ND-CP of the Government detailing a number of articles and measures to implement the Fisheries Law and Decree No. 42/2019/ND-CP of the Government regulating administrative sanctions for violations in the fisheries sector. At the same time, Requesting the People's Committees of 28 coastal provinces and cities to focus all resources to seriously implement and complete the tasks assigned in Decision No. 81/QD-TTg and Official Dispatch No. 265/CD-TTg of the Prime Minister.
Binh Thuan has also developed a detailed plan to welcome and work with the EC Inspection Delegation. Therefore, the Provincial People's Committee requested to strengthen drastic measures against IUU fishing in the province and prepare contents according to the direction of the Prime Minister, Head of the National Steering Committee on IUU and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, contributing to the whole country to overcome the EC's recommendations, soon remove the "yellow card" for Vietnamese seafood export products.
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