On November 4, 2023, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed an Official Dispatch on focusing on implementing urgent tasks and solutions, focusing on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and removing the "Yellow Card" warning from the European Commission (EC).
In this Official Dispatch, the Prime Minister requested the Ministers of relevant ministries and Chairmen of the People's Committees of coastal provinces and centrally run cities to unify the above awareness and viewpoints in the leadership and direction of affiliated agencies, units and functional forces; uphold the responsibility of the head; focus on directing the implementation of key and urgent tasks and solutions to combat IUU fishing, and be determined to remove the EC's "Yellow Card" warning at the 5th inspection (expected at the end of the second quarter of 2024).
Resolutely and strictly handle organizations and individuals who, for their own benefit, deliberately commit illegal acts that affect national interests and the country's image in the international arena. Illustrative photo
Specifically as follows: The Prime Minister requested to continue to seriously and effectively implement the direction of the Standing Secretariat in Official Dispatch No. 81-CV/TW dated March 20, 2020 on focusing on leadership and direction of effective implementation of the work of preventing and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; the directions, dispatches and conclusions of the Prime Minister (especially Decision No. 81/QD-TTg dated February 13, 2023, Official Dispatch No. 265/CD-TTg dated April 17, 2023, Notice of Conclusion No. 412/TB-VPCP dated October 12, 2023); the directions and conclusions of the Head of the National Steering Committee on IUU and other relevant documents; attaching the responsibility of heads of Party committees, authorities at all levels and functional forces to the results of combating IUU fishing.
The Prime Minister requested ensuring resources, funding, and arranging qualified and professional staff, promptly completing the work of overcoming shortcomings and limitations in the fight against IUU fishing; resolutely and strictly handling organizations and individuals who, for their own benefit, deliberately commit illegal acts that affect national interests and the country's image in the international arena.
Regarding communication, propaganda and legal training: Continue to implement appropriate forms and activities of communication both domestically and in international forums on Vietnam's efforts to combat IUU fishing; disseminate and train legal regulations against IUU fishing for the fishing community and relevant organizations and individuals.
Regarding the legal framework, mechanisms and policies: Based on the EC's recommendations at the 4th inspection on controlling imported aquatic raw materials by container ships, and sanctioning acts of exceeding permitted boundaries at sea detected through the fishing vessel monitoring system, review, study and amend and supplement relevant legal regulations to ensure consistency and synchronization with the legal system and conditions of our country.
Issue mechanisms and policies to convert and support livelihoods for fishermen who voluntarily do not participate in fishing activities or whose fishing vessels no longer meet the prescribed conditions.
Regarding fleet management and monitoring, inspection and control of fishing vessel activities: Conduct a general inspection and review of all fishing vessels in the area to ensure a firm grasp of the current situation (number of vessels, fishing vessels that have or have not been registered, inspected, licensed; fishing vessels that have been transferred, bought, sold, or deregistered; fishing vessels operating outside the province, fishing vessels that have not installed VMS equipment, etc.); strictly and thoroughly handle according to the regulations on "3 no's" fishing vessels, fishing vessels that are not qualified to participate in aquatic exploitation.
Organize work, directly guide each ship owner through registration, inspection, licensing procedures and update 100% of fishing vessel data into the National Fisheries Database (VNFishbase).
Monitor and supervise 100% of fishing vessels operating at sea through the fishing vessel monitoring system, clearly understand and strictly handle each case of violation of regulations on VMS disconnection (not reporting location every 6 hours, disconnection for more than 10 days without returning the vessel to shore, disconnection for more than 6 months, 1 year; create a monitoring list and handle all violations to the end).
Ensure that 100% of fishing vessels with a length of 15 meters or more entering and leaving the port (including private fishing ports), entering and leaving the port must have full documents (registration, inspection, licensing, fishing vessel marking), have VMS equipment installed, especially the VMS equipment on the vessel must operate continuously according to regulations.
Manage and control 100% of fishing vessels from other provinces operating in the province, establish a mechanism for sharing and exchanging information between relevant localities to promptly prevent and handle cases of IUU fishing violations.
Regarding confirmation, certification and traceability of exploited aquatic products: Strictly implement regulations on confirmation and certification of domestically exploited aquatic products, strictly prohibit and strictly handle cases of legalizing documents (if there is sufficient basis for criminal prosecution); especially focus on yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, and swordfish.
Conduct a comprehensive review of seafood exporting enterprises to the European market to ensure complete and legal records, and strictly handle violations (if there is sufficient basis for criminal prosecution); especially focus on shipments of yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, and swordfish.
Regarding law enforcement and handling of violations: Implement strong measures to prevent fishing vessels from illegally exploiting seafood in foreign waters; investigate and punish 100% of violations...
Regarding international cooperation: Negotiate, sign and organize the implementation of hotlines between Vietnam and Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines; organize interdisciplinary working groups to work with countries that arrest and handle Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermen, grasp the situation, and take measures to handle violations.
Along with that, regularly inspect, examine and seriously review responsibilities, strictly handle according to Party regulations and state laws organizations and individuals who do not fulfill assigned duties and tasks; periodically before the 25th of each month report the results of anti-IUU fishing implementation to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (through the Department of Fisheries Control) for synthesis and reporting to the Prime Minister, Head of the National Steering Committee on IUU...
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