By synchronously implementing solutions, up to now, violations of IUU fishing in Ha Tinh have decreased significantly compared to previous years.
On the morning of December 13, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang chaired the eighth online conference of the National Steering Committee on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Linh and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Ngoc Chau attended at the Ha Tinh bridge point. |
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang chaired the conference.
After 4 field inspections by the European Commission (EC) Inspection Delegation in Vietnam, the results of combating IUU fishing have achieved positive results, which have been recognized and highly appreciated by the EC. However, to date, Vietnam has not been able to remove the "Yellow Card" warning. On December 5, 2023, the EC issued an official letter on the results of combating IUU fishing in Vietnam after the 4th inspection in October 2023.
Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Linh operates the Ha Tinh bridge point.
Accordingly, the EC continues to acknowledge and appreciate the efforts to combat IUU fishing, especially the political determination, attention and direction of the Government and the Prime Minister. The delegation recognizes that removing the "Yellow Card" warning is a priority and urgent task of the Vietnamese Government. However, the implementation results at the local level are still limited in monitoring, controlling and supervising fishing vessel activities, sanctioning IUU fishing violations, and sanctions against fraudulent enterprises are not strict...
The EC recommends that there should be strict measures to handle responsibilities for local organizations and individuals who do not fulfill their assigned duties and tasks in handling violations of VMS regulations and crossing maritime boundaries; and strictly and thoroughly punish businesses that operate illegally and profit illegally from IUU fishing violations.
Seriously supplement regulations according to EC recommendations and promptly pass decrees to promptly implement in practice the control of imported raw materials by container ships; punish acts of violating permitted boundaries at sea detected through the fishing vessel monitoring system; prevent and end the situation of fishing vessels violating illegal exploitation in foreign waters...
Focus on strictly implementing fisheries laws on registration, licensing, and marking of fishing vessels, creating changes in practice, fully updating the national fisheries database; strictly controlling "3 no" fishing vessels, especially punishing 100% of cases of violations of VMS regulations and violations of illegal fishing in foreign waters - this is the most important recommendation in this inspection by the EC to consider removing the "Yellow Card" warning in the next 6 months.
In Ha Tinh, the implementation of solutions to prevent and combat IUU fishing has achieved some positive results; units and localities in the province have proactively implemented the 2017 Fisheries Law, key and urgent solutions to combat IUU fishing from direction to implementation. Propaganda and dissemination of laws have been focused on. Coordination, inspection and handling of violations have been resolutely organized and implemented by all levels and sectors. Therefore, violations of IUU fishing in the area have decreased significantly compared to previous years. The province currently has 2,723 registered fishing vessels, of which 2,532 have valid fishing licenses (92.98%); 199/496 fishing vessels are subject to inspection (40.12%); 63/90 fishing vessels in operation are subject to food safety certificates on fishing vessels (67%); 100% of vessels mark vessels and draw license plates in accordance with regulations; 90/90 fishing vessels operating in offshore fishing have installed VMS equipment, reaching 100%; 2,723 fishing vessels have been updated to the national fisheries database (VNFISHBASE), reaching 100%. Up to now, there have been no fishing vessels or fishermen illegally exploiting seafood in foreign waters in the area. There have been no detections of any networks, organizations or individuals brokering fishing vessels or fishermen to illegally exploit seafood in foreign waters. | |
At the conference, representatives of relevant ministries, branches and localities discussed and analyzed a number of causes of the existing problems and limitations that have led to the IUU "Yellow Card" not being removed and proposed solutions to focus on implementation in the coming time.
Delegates attending Ha Tinh bridge point.
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang said that the fight against IUU fishing has seen many changes in recent times. However, to be determined to remove the “Yellow Card” warning, all levels, sectors and localities need to focus on urgent tasks and solutions from now until April 2024 (the time of the 5th EC inspection).
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang gave a speech at the conference.
The period from now to April 2024 is also a "golden" opportunity for the goal of removing the IUU "Yellow Card", therefore, the implementation must ensure synchronization between levels, sectors and localities; in which, coordinating the organization of peak periods to effectively implement the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. In particular, it is necessary to strictly implement Official Dispatch No. 1058/CD-TTg dated November 4, 2023 of the Prime Minister, Conclusion No. 468/TB-VPCP dated November 14, 2023 of the Head of the National Steering Committee on IUU and other relevant directives.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and related units provide all necessary information to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to effectively "fight" on the diplomatic front; promptly have solutions to remove difficulties in information technology and management software; advise on amending appropriate regulatory documents.
The Ministry of National Defense is requested to focus on controlling ships entering/exiting ports; controlling and preventing violations in border areas at sea; the Ministry of Public Security is advised to promptly issue a resolution guiding the handling of acts of brokerage in sending Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermen to illegally exploit seafood in foreign waters; continue to carry out special projects to investigate activities of organizing illegal border crossings abroad; and investigate cases of fraud in tracing the origin of seafood.
Coastal localities have effective solutions to prevent and stop fishing vessels from illegally exploiting in foreign waters; strictly handle violations.
Directing at the Ha Tinh bridge, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Linh requested relevant departments, branches and localities to seriously absorb the opinions of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Linh directed at the Ha Tinh bridge point.
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development directs a general inspection and review of all fishing vessels in the area (number of vessels, fishing vessels that have or have not been registered, have expired inspection and licenses; fishing vessels that have been transferred, bought and sold, or have had their registrations removed; fishing vessels operating outside the province, fishing vessels that have not installed VMS equipment, etc.); presides over and coordinates with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to have solutions to strictly manage and thoroughly handle the group of "3 no" fishing vessels, ensuring that there are no violations of illegal fishing.
Organize 24/7 on-duty to monitor and supervise fishing vessels on the monitoring system, ensuring that 100% of fishing vessels must maintain connection to the VMS device from the time they leave the port until they arrive at the port. When detecting cases of VMS disconnection, crossing the maritime boundary..., it is necessary to coordinate with localities, functional forces (border guards, police), contact the captain to request compliance with VMS regulations, absolutely not allowing fishing vessels to cross the maritime boundary.
At the same time, direct the management units of fishing ports to ensure that fishing vessels with a length of 15m or more loading and unloading exploited aquatic products must be monitored and traceable (ensuring the exploitation log, VMS data, output and species composition suitable for the exploitation); strictly implement the regulations on the work of confirming and certifying domestically exploited aquatic products, strictly prohibit and strictly handle cases of legalizing documents.
Propose that the Provincial Border Guard Command direct the coastal border posts and stations to closely monitor the activities of vessels over 15m in length from the time they leave the channel to when they enter the channel; promptly prevent and resolutely prevent fishing boats and fishermen from Ha Tinh from illegally exploiting seafood in foreign waters. Resolutely not allow ships to leave the channel that do not fully meet the prescribed conditions (lack of or expired registration, inspection, license, or turn off the journey monitoring device); coordinate to review records and thoroughly handle cases of illegal exploitation in foreign waters and violations of VMS disconnection according to regulations from the beginning of 2023 to present.
Propose that the People's Committees of coastal districts and towns coordinate to conduct a general inspection and review of the entire number of fishing vessels, clearly understand the current status of fishing vessels to screen and classify to ensure monitoring and supervision of all activities of the fleet; handle violations according to the law, especially "3 no" fishing vessels and fishing vessels that violate the VMS connection loss according to regulations.
Direct communes/wards/towns to assign officers to work directly with ship owners; guide and request ship owners to promptly complete registration, inspection, issuance of fishing licenses, and deregistration of qualified fishing vessels; make a list and closely monitor fishing vessels that do not participate in fishing, fishing vessels at high risk of violating IUU fishing, assign officers to directly monitor, supervise and manage...
Duong Chien
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