Part 2: Positive changes in combating IUU fishing

With the drastic, regular and continuous direction, in recent times, the shortcomings in fishing activities pointed out by the European Commission (EC) have been resolved by the province, putting them into practice. Thereby, there has been a positive change in fishermen's compliance with the law, and the EC's recommendations have been fundamentally resolved.

Provincial Border Guards check administrative procedures for fishing boats when they go out to sea to catch seafood.

Look straight at the limitations, solve them thoroughly

In April, we were present at Cua Lan fishing port (Tien Hai), Tan Son port and Dong Tien fishing port (Thai Thuy) to record the implementation of regulations on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by localities as well as the management and control activities of the Department of Fisheries and the border guards.

Boarding ships to propagate, check documents, communication equipment, and deploy ship owners to sign commitments not to violate regulations on combating IUU fishing are regular tasks of officers and soldiers of the Provincial Border Guard. Captain Nguyen Quang Hai, Head of Cua Lan Border Control Station, said: The station has developed a plan to strengthen patrols, control, and combat IUU fishing; coordinate with local authorities to propagate on the loudspeaker system at Cua Lan fishing port and on mass media. Organize propaganda at the boat anchorage area, go to each fisherman's house, and mobilize them to sign commitments to comply with regulations on fishing. In particular, focus on propagating cases where ship owners are at risk of violating regulations on combating IUU fishing. Resolutely do not allow ships without sufficient procedures and documents to leave port. Step up administrative sanctions against ships that deliberately violate.

Typically, on March 11, 2024, in the Thai Binh sea about 5 nautical miles to the East, the patrol team of the Provincial Border Guard Squadron 2 discovered fishing vessel ND91208-TS owned by Mr. Tran Ngoc Ha, born in 1998, hometown Giao Hai commune, Giao Thuy district, Nam Dinh province, who was also the captain, using a fishing vessel over 15m long to exploit seafood in coastal areas, violating the fishing area not in accordance with the registration regulations. The Border Guard has completed the dossier and issued a decision to impose a penalty in accordance with the provisions of law.

Since the inspection and control have been stepped up, the sense of responsibility of fishing boat owners has improved a lot, and they have been fully equipped with equipment for exploitation according to the requirements of the authorities. Mr. Bui Duc Than, Director of the Center for Land Fund Development and Industrial Clusters of Tien Hai District, said: Implementing Plan No. 30/KH-UBND, dated February 6, 2024 of the Provincial People's Committee on implementing the peak period against IUU fishing, the unit has assigned staff to monitor the output directly loaded and unloaded through the port, the arrangement of ships entering and leaving the port; staff to monitor, collect fishing logs, purchase seafood; record information about fishing boats declaring arrival at the port in the monitoring book, information about declaration of fishing boats leaving the port. By April 2024, there were 1,237 vehicles eligible to exit and enter the port; the total number of reports, fishing logs, and purchase logs submitted was 451; Total output of aquatic products through the port is 1,882 tons.

In Thai Thuy, Mr. Nguyen Quang Vinh, Director of the District's Land Fund and Industrial Cluster Development Center, said: We coordinated with the Provincial Border Guard on duty at the checkpoints to inspect, control and confirm a total of 5,886 eligible vehicles to depart, of which 1,297 vehicles registered to depart but did not depart due to weather, engine failure, lack of labor, etc. The total number of eligible vehicles to dock was 4,598, reaching 100%. Reports, exploitation logs, and purchase logs were submitted for 3,502, reaching 100%. Thai Thuy district has 145 ships installed with journey monitoring equipment. Through inspection and supervision from January 1 to March 1, 2024, 24 ships with a length of over 15m that lost connection for more than 6 hours and more than 10 days at sea were all warned and handled according to regulations.

Good news

Immediately after the working session with the delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Thai Binh province urgently implemented solutions to thoroughly overcome existing problems, together with other provinces and cities nationwide, determined to remove the "yellow card" of the European Commission (EC).

According to the report of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, specialized sectors and the Provincial Border Guard have coordinated with Tien Hai, Thai Thuy and Kien Xuong districts to organize forces to strictly control, prevent and prohibit all fishing vessels from violating 14 IUU fishing acts. Strictly handle fishing vessels that lose connection to the voyage monitoring device (VMS), especially fishing vessels that lose connection to VMS for more than 6 hours and 10 days at sea, and fishing vessels that exploit in the wrong area. As a result, 715 vessels with a capacity of 137,498CV have been registered and updated in the national data software VNFishbase; 100% of fishing vessels have been marked according to regulations; 169/170 fishing vessels have been granted food safety certificates and installed voyage monitoring devices according to regulations; 374 fishing vessels of 12m or more have been inspected and granted technical safety certificates; 682 fishing vessels have been granted fishing licenses. 169 vessels have been equipped with navigation devices.

The provincial Border Guard actively propagates to fishermen in Thai Thuy district about combating IUU fishing.

Inspection, control and handling of violations have been strengthened. From 2020 to April 2024, the Provincial Border Guard and the Fisheries Sub-Department have issued administrative fines totaling VND 1,866 million. With drastic directions and the participation of departments, branches and localities, changes in fishermen's awareness, shortcomings in the implementation of anti-IUU fishing are gradually being overcome, violations by fishing vessels have decreased sharply. Notably, up to now, the sectors have quite thoroughly prevented the situation of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports without declaration, recording fishing logs... This is the result of promoting propaganda work, creating changes in changing the awareness and actions of management agencies as well as fishermen directly implementing regulations on anti-IUU fishing.

To remove the “yellow card” of the European Commission (EC), the above shortcomings must be overcome more seriously, more deeply, and more practically. Our province has no ships violating foreign waters, however, coastal localities need to strictly manage the fleet, exploit the right areas, the right routes, and the output as required by the 4th inspection team of the European Commission (EC).