Resolutely implement strong measures against IUU fishing

The People's Committee of Ha Tinh province requested the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to inspect and urge localities to promptly complete 100% of registration, inspection, and issuance of fishing licenses for qualified fishing vessels.

On behalf of the Provincial People's Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Linh has just signed and issued an official dispatch on urgently implementing strong measures against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, preparing to work with the 4th European Commission Inspection Delegation to Vietnam.

As planned, the EC Inspection Delegation will conduct the fourth inspection from October 10 to October 18, 2023. In order to prepare to receive and work with the EC Inspection Delegation to achieve the best results, and soon remove the "Yellow Card" warning as directed by the Prime Minister and central ministries and branches, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested heads of relevant departments and branches and chairmen of People's Committees of coastal districts and towns to focus on implementing drastic and synchronous measures to combat IUU fishing, especially during the time the EC Inspection Delegation is working in Vietnam, absolutely not allowing IUU fishing violations to occur.

Localities need to urgently complete 100% of registration, inspection, and licensing of fishing vessels that meet the requirements.

Specifically, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development inspects and urges localities to promptly complete 100% of registration, inspection, and issuance of fishing licenses for qualified fishing vessels (especially for localities with low inspection rates such as Cam Xuyen and Ky Anh town; assigns specialized staff to directly work to guide and urge these localities to organize implementation); update data on the VnFishbase system to ensure that fishing vessel data must match and be consistent between local reports and the national fisheries database (VnFishbase), and consistent between agencies and functional units during the working period with the EC Inspection Delegation.

Organize 24/7 on-duty to monitor and supervise fishing vessels on the fishing vessel 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... coordinate with localities, functional forces, contact the captain to request compliance with VMS regulations, absolutely do not let fishing vessels cross the maritime boundary.

Implement traceability of exploited aquatic products to ensure control of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, and fishing vessels operating at sea; ensure 100% of fishing vessels dock at designated ports, monitor 100% of locally exploited aquatic products; comply with regulations on confirmation, certification and traceability of aquatic products; ensure records and inspection and supervision records are carried out in compliance with prescribed procedures, with cross-checking with fishing vessel monitoring data (VMS), unify fishing vessel control data between border guards and local fishing ports; verify that fishing vessels from other provinces dock at ports for confirmation but carry out certification in other provinces and do not violate IUU.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development must organize a 24/7 shift to monitor and supervise fishing vessels on the fishing vessel 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.

At fishing ports, it is necessary to ensure cleanliness, fishing vessels docking at ports to unload exploited aquatic products must ensure hygiene to ensure food safety; exploited aquatic products unloaded through ports and goods gathered on ships must be neatly arranged. Arrange locations, staff with solid professional expertise, and the ability to present reports during the EC inspection team's working time; review, arrange, and store both paper and electronic records to ensure that the records are linked according to the traceability chain, scientifically stored for easy retrieval (especially at fishing ports, the Fisheries Sub-Department, the Office of Inspection, Control and Control of Fisheries at fishing ports).

Establish and advise on the establishment (according to authority) of inspection and public service inspection teams, promptly rectify and resolutely handle organizations and individuals who do not fulfill their assigned duties and tasks, do not comply with the direction and guidance of superiors, affecting the country's efforts to remove the "Yellow Card" warning.

The Provincial Border Guard Command directs coastal border posts and stations to closely monitor the activities of vessels over 15m in length from the time they leave the channel to the time they enter the channel; promptly prevent and resolutely prevent fishing boats and fishermen from Ha Tinh from illegally exploiting seafood in foreign waters. Directs coastal border posts and stations to inspect and control 100% of fishing boats of the province and fishing boats of other provinces to ensure that they meet all the prescribed conditions; in particular, VMS equipment on fishing boats 15m or longer must be turned on and operate normally from the time they leave the port until they arrive at the port.

Strengthen inspection and control of 100% of fishing vessels of the province and fishing vessels of other provinces to ensure full conditions according to regulations.

Resolutely not allow ships to leave the channel for ships that do not fully meet the conditions as prescribed; fishing vessels on the list of high-risk fishing violations. Review, synthesize data, and archive records of IUU fishing violations, ensuring that the history of violations and recidivism for each violation, specific handling methods for each violation, and handling results are tracked.

The People's Committees of coastal districts and towns are responsible for directing communes/wards/towns to assign staff to work directly with ship owners; instruct and request ship owners to promptly complete 100% of registration, inspection, issuance of fishing licenses, and deregistration of qualified fishing vessels (to be completed before October 8, 2023). Make a list and closely monitor fishing vessels that do not participate in fishing, fishing vessels at high risk of violating IUU fishing (not yet issued/renewed fishing licenses, disconnected VMS devices, fishing vessels regularly operating outside the province, fishing vessels that do not dock to unload aquatic products according to regulations, cross maritime boundaries...); in which, direct functional agencies and units (especially at the commune/ward/town level) to clearly understand the current status of these vessels (why and where they are anchored), assign staff to directly monitor, supervise and manage.

Relevant departments and branches shall seriously implement the assigned contents in Plan No. 473/KH-UBND dated September 28, 2023 of the Provincial People's Committee on the Master Plan and scenario for welcoming and working with the 4th EC Inspection Delegation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Requesting directors of departments, heads of sectors: Agriculture and Rural Development, Information and Communications, Provincial Police, Provincial Border Guard Command, Provincial Fishing Port Management Board, Chairmen of People's Committees of Nghi Xuan, Loc Ha, Thach Ha, Cam Xuyen, Ky Anh districts, Ky Anh town and related departments, sectors and units to strictly implement the content of this telegram.

PV

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/nong-nghiep/quyet-liet-thuc-hien-cac-bien-phap-manh-chong-khai-thac-iuu/255261.htm