Strengthening fleet management to combat IUU fishing

In recent times, the work of statistics and management of high-risk fishing vessels has been seriously implemented by agencies and localities. However, the number of fishing vessels that regularly operate outside the province, especially vessels under 15m, are not subject to the installation of voyage monitoring equipment (VMS), so it is very difficult to control and monitor, and still has a high potential risk of violating foreign waters.

Statistics and screening of "3 no" ships

Not only that, the management of fishing vessels is not strict, there are still many fishing vessels that have not been registered, have not been granted fishing licenses but are still operating openly, showing that the situation of fishing vessels operating without control, violating IUU fishing is still very much, especially small fishing vessels under 12 m. Therefore, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Hai has issued an urgent dispatch requesting drastic implementation of the peak month of general inspection of fishing vessels in the whole province, statistics, screening, classification of "3 no" fishing vessels, registration, inspection, issuance of fishing licenses, installation of VMS monitoring equipment in accordance with legal regulations, strictly handling violations. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is requested to coordinate with departments, branches, and localities in coastal areas to establish an interdisciplinary team this August, both to propagate and support fishermen in terms of procedures and documents, and to mobilize and guide fishermen to sign a commitment not to violate IUU fishing, along with regulations and sanctions for each specific act.

The number of fishing vessels that have not been registered is still 1,841.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the total quota of fishing licenses in the province is 7,756 licenses. Of which, the quota of offshore licenses is 1,976 licenses (including 1,940 licenses assigned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and 36 licenses transferred from other provinces); the quota of offshore and coastal licenses is 5,580 licenses. Through review, the whole province has 7,670 fishing vessels with a length of 6 meters or more that must be registered and granted fishing licenses, a decrease of 56 compared to the time of reporting at the meeting of the Provincial IUU Steering Committee on May 19, 2023. The number of fishing vessels with a length of 6 meters or more that arose was 1,392 without documents. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has advised the Provincial People's Committee to ask for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's opinion on instructions for registering fishing vessels without original documents. After receiving instructions from the Ministry, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will direct the Department of Fisheries to register, issue exploitation licenses and put them under management according to regulations.

In addition, the Fisheries Sub-Department has registered 5,829 fishing vessels, reaching 76% compared to the latest review and statistical data, an increase of 36 vessels compared to the time of reporting at the meeting on May 19, 2023. The number of fishing vessels that have not been registered is still high at 1,841, accounting for 24% (of which, La Gi has 545 vessels, Tuy Phong has 415 vessels from 6 m and above that have not been registered). Regarding the issuance of fishing licenses, the number of vessels without fishing licenses or expired fishing licenses is 1,023 (accounting for 17.6%), mainly concentrated in the group of vessels under 12 m (688 vessels).

To date, there are still 1,023 fishing vessels without fishing licenses.

Fishing vessel management still has many limitations.

This shows that the relevant authorities have made efforts and seriously implemented the statistics and management of high-risk fishing vessels. However, the number of fishing vessels regularly operating outside the province is still large. Not to mention, the "3 no" vessels operating on the wrong route, violating the 2017 Fisheries Law are quite common, such as unregistered fishing vessels, without a fishing license; not declaring when entering or leaving fishing ports, not recording or submitting fishing logs; not maintaining monitoring equipment at sea... However, these vessels have not been controlled and resolutely handled, affecting the effectiveness of combating IUU fishing in the province, especially violations of foreign waters that have not been handled or punished according to regulations, thus reducing the deterrent effect.

Focus on implementing registration, inspection, granting fishing licenses, and marking fishing vessels. (Photo: N. Lan)

Analyzing the causes, the leader of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said: In addition to the weak and insufficient fisheries situation of the province, the slow issuance of many policies and mechanisms under the authority of the Central Government on combating IUU fishing and restructuring fisheries also affects the work of combating IUU fishing. In addition, the quality of the fishing vessel monitoring system and VMS equipment is not guaranteed, revealing many limitations, making it difficult to control fishing vessels operating at sea. Not only that, the awareness of law enforcement of some fishermen is poor, for the economic benefit of themselves and their families, despite warnings from authorities and local authorities, they deliberately violate the law and illegally exploit seafood in foreign waters.

Many commune-level localities do not have staff to monitor the fisheries sector. (Photo: N. Lan)

In particular, the management of fishing vessels has revealed many limitations, and has been slow to overcome the situation of fishing vessels operating without a fishing license as prescribed. Although the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has announced it weekly, there are still 1,023 fishing vessels without a fishing license. Partly because many commune-level localities with fishing vessels have not really closely followed up, have not grasped the situation, and are not proactive in managing fishing vessels and fishing labor, leading to uncontrolled fishing vessels; lack of human resources, and many localities do not even have officers to monitor the fisheries sector...

Therefore, one of the key tasks set by the Provincial Steering Committee for Combating IUU Fishing, in preparation for working with the Inspection Delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 28 coastal provinces and cities and the EC Inspection Delegation to Vietnam for the 4th inspection in October 2023, is to strengthen fleet management and monitoring, inspection and control of fishing vessel activities. In particular, focusing on implementing registration, inspection, granting fishing licenses, marking fishing vessels; properly implementing procedures for deregistration of fishing vessels, transferring names, changing owners, transferring or buying and selling fishing vessels according to regulations. In case of intentional non-compliance, send the list to the border guards and fisheries control forces to monitor and strictly control, not allowing vessels to leave port for exploitation, strictly handle violations...

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