Quang Ngai strictly manages and controls fishing boats

Nearly a billion dong fine for fishing boats violating regulations

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quang Ngai province, in recent times, Quang Ngai province has stepped up the management and strict control of fishing vessels and resolutely handled administrative violations in the fisheries sector according to Decree No. 42/2019/ND-CP of the Government, especially sanctions for violations of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

From the beginning of the year to mid-September 2023, Quang Ngai has administratively sanctioned 33 cases, with a total fine of 527.5 million VND.

In early October 2023, Vice Chairman of Quang Ngai People's Committee, Mr. Tran Phuoc Hien, signed decisions to impose a total fine of more than VND 853 million on Mr. Tran Van Nhau, in Nghia An commune, Quang Ngai city, owner of two fishing boats, for administrative violations in the field of fisheries.

quang ngai.jpeg — Up to now, 100% of fishing vessels in Quang Ngai have been registered. The rate of marked fishing vessels is over 97%. (Photo: Cong Sang)

Specifically, the violations include: expired technical safety certificates for fishing vessels with a maximum length of 12m or more when operating in fishing activities; using fishing vessels with a maximum length of 15m to less than 24m without a fishing license to exploit aquatic resources in Vietnamese waters; fishing vessel owners not purchasing insurance for crew members working on fishing vessels.

Strict management and control of fishing vessels

Recently, the People's Committee of Quang Ngai province has established an inspection team to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing) at fishing ports and border control stations in the province.

The functional sectors and coastal localities of the province have tightened management, determined not to let unqualified ships go to sea, and at the same time stepped up propaganda and guidance for fishermen to comply with regulations.

According to the report, since the beginning of the year, Quang Ngai province has had more than 12,400 fishing vessels entering and leaving designated ports. The management of fishing vessels at ports has been tightened by the Provincial Fishing Port Management Board, with more than 97% of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports inspected and monitored.

Implementing the peak period of combating IUU fishing, since September 2023, the province has strengthened inspection and control of fishing vessel activities, especially fishing vessels at high risk of IUU violations.

Quang Ngai Provincial Border Guard has mobilized maximum forces and means and coordinated with inter-sectoral forces to synchronously deploy many measures, resolutely strictly manage and strictly handle fishing vessels and fishermen who illegally exploit seafood in foreign waters, focusing on key areas under the management of Binh Hai, Ly Son, Sa Huynh and Sa Ky border stations.

In addition, the border control station regularly arranges forces to patrol and control in parallel at the station and at seaports and estuaries. Thereby, promptly detecting and preventing vehicle owners who do not have documents but deliberately cross the station.

According to statistics from the provincial Fisheries Department, the whole province currently has nearly 1,000 cases of fishing boats of the province operating outside the province, not returning to the locality for many years, causing difficulties in managing fishing boats.

Therefore, to strictly manage and monitor fishing vessels operating outside the province, it is necessary to have the drastic participation of all coastal provinces and cities, determined not to let vessels that do not meet the regulations go offshore. At the same time, strictly handle vessels outside the province that do not comply with regulations when operating in the province, to ensure that the work of combating IUU fishing is strictly and synchronously implemented nationwide.

Quang Ngai province has 4,292 vessels, of which 3,127 are fishing vessels with a length of 15m or more. In the first 9 months of 2023, the total output of exploited aquatic products is estimated at nearly 229.4 thousand tons, an increase of 0.15% over the same period in 2022.

Dieu Thuy

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