The Future for Sustainable Fisheries: [Part 3] Quang Ninh is Ready to Welcome EC Inspection Delegation

Important and urgent task

In October 2017, the European Commission (EC) announced the application of a yellow card warning on seafood products exported from Vietnam to the EU. The reason given by the EC is that Vietnam has not been able to control its fishing fleet, leading to an increase in Vietnamese fishing vessels violating foreign waters and has not been able to control the legality of seafood products from exploitation and export to the EU market.

A delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment inspected fishing vessel management activities at Cai Rong port, Van Don district. Photo: Nguyen Thanh.

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities have greatly affected the maintenance and conservation of aquatic resources and biodiversity. Particularly serious impacts on the environment and socio-economy.

In recent times, in order to overcome shortcomings and limitations as recommended by the EC, in order to remove the IUU "yellow card", Quang Ninh province has mobilized many resources and directed inter-sectoral forces to take drastic action. After nearly 8 years of implementation, Quang Ninh's fisheries industry has had many positive and obvious changes.

Specifically, from 2017 to now, Quang Ninh has no fishing vessels violating or exploiting aquatic resources in foreign waters. Up to now, fishing vessels in the province have completed registration and inspection.

Along with that, 100% of fishing vessels of 15m or more have installed voyage monitoring equipment (VMS). Every day, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Quang Ninh extracts information about fishing vessels losing VMS connection signal offshore, notifies relevant units and guides and supports fishing vessel owners to overcome the loss of VMS connection signal.

Many fishing vessels, after being notified, instructed and supported, have recovered and have regained signal connection. In addition, every week, the Department compiles a list of fishing vessels at risk of violating IUU fishing and losing connection offshore for more than 10 days so that the authorities can grasp, coordinate, verify and handle the situation.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan (Van Don district) complies with regulations on installing journey monitoring devices. Photo: Nguyen Thanh.

Quang Ninh also controls fishing vessels and seafood output entering and leaving ports. These are encouraging signs, further confirming the positive results of the work to overcome the IUU "yellow card" in Quang Ninh.

Up to now, the majority of fishermen, ship owners, and seafood processing enterprises have had full and correct awareness of the importance of removing the IUU "yellow card" for the seafood sector. Thereby, compliance with legal regulations will gradually be improved.

Talking to Agriculture and Environment Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan (owner of ship QN 90070) shared: “Currently, my ship is fully equipped with VMS. During fishing, I regularly check the equipment and ensure smooth communication.”

Mr. Tuan expressed: "Since being informed and popularized about the removal of the "yellow card", the crew members have advised each other to strictly comply with the State's regulations, only fishing in permitted sea areas. I hope that Quang Ninh province in particular and other coastal provinces and cities of Vietnam will soon remove the "yellow card", helping the fisheries industry have more opportunities to develop and expand, creating opportunities for us fishermen to feel secure in doing business, having more sources of income to help stabilize our lives".

Synchronously deploy multiple solutions

With the determination to protect aquatic resources for sustainable development and promote the removal of the IUU "yellow card", in the coming time, Quang Ninh province will promote the synchronous implementation of many solutions.

Mr. Phan Thanh Nghi, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Quang Ninh, said that the province is focusing on implementing many solutions, including continuing to strengthen propaganda and mobilization work for ship owners and crew members to understand and strictly comply with the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws on registration and inspection of aquatic exploitation. In addition, patrolling, controlling and strictly handling cases of exploitation violations.

Fishing vessel monitoring system helps detect disconnected vessels. Photo: Nguyen Thanh.

Regarding the patrol and control of violations, the Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment said: “In 2024, the Department established 40 working groups, thereby inspecting and handling nearly 300 violations. In addition, functional forces such as border guards, police, etc. also regularly monitor, thereby reducing the number of violations significantly.”

Along with that, the Department is building a mechanism to encourage inefficient fishing vessels to change their livelihoods. In particular, it is implementing job conversion for prohibited occupations and occupations that destroy aquatic resources to aquaculture and non-agricultural occupations.

For offshore fishing fleets over 15m in length, it is necessary to review and require the installation of VMS. Absolutely do not allow vessels without VMS installed or turned on to leave port; and for vessels under 15m, it is necessary to strictly manage at the time of leaving and entering port.

In the coming time, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Quang Ninh will continue to establish working groups to support, urge and guide people to complete administrative procedures before participating in fishing activities, ensuring that 100% of fishermen strictly comply with State regulations.

Quang Ninh has potential for aquaculture and seafood exploitation with over 60,000 hectares of water surface. Photo: Nguyen Thanh.

At the same time, upgrade facilities, staff at the port, control points, declare the number of exploitation, manage ships entering and leaving the port, upgrade and complete to promote the efficiency of fishing ports, storm shelters, fishing vessel control points in the area. In addition, research and propose mechanisms and policies to apply technology and flying equipment to monitor and manage ships...

“Quang Ninh province carefully manages fishing vessels not only during the time of EC inspections but also considers fishing vessel management as a natural task of the State management agency. When the inspectors come, we are completely assured because the management of fishing vessels in the province has been basically improved. Quang Ninh is determined to join hands with the whole country to remove the IUU "yellow card", Mr. Phan Thanh Nghi emphasized.

The removal of the European Commission's IUU "yellow card" is of particular importance, not only expanding opportunities to bring Vietnamese seafood to the EU market but also helping the seafood industry develop sustainably and reach further in the future.

According to Decision No. 582/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister on approving the Planning of the fishing port system and storm shelters for fishing vessels in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, Quang Ninh will have 11 storm shelters, contributing to ensuring the safety of people and fishing vessels during storms, minimizing damage to people and property.

Source: https://nongnghiep.vn/tuong-lai-cho-nghe-ca-ben-vung-bai-3-quang-ninh-san-sang-don-doan-thanh-tra-ec-d423019.html