For national honor and long-term goals

These days, Thanh Hoa is focusing on implementing drastic measures together with the whole country to fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing to overcome the 5th inspection by the European Commission (EC) to remove the "yellow card" warning for Vietnamese seafood.

Fishermen of Quang Tien ward (Sam Son city) prepare fishing gear to go offshore and stick to the sea.

Video: anti-IUU fishing activities of functional forces.

After many years of implementing the work of combating IUU fishing, relevant levels, sectors and units of the province together with coastal localities have synchronously and drastically implemented urgent solutions to overcome shortcomings and limitations according to the recommendations of the EC. In the first 3 months of 2024, implementing the direction of the Provincial Steering Committee on combating IUU fishing, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinated with the People's Committees at the district level to review all fishing vessels in the area; review and summarize licensed fishing vessels, "3 no" fishing vessels to report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as a basis for adjusting the fishing license quota in 2024.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Duc Giang inspected anti-IUU work at Hoa Loc Fishing Port (Hau Loc).

Relevant forces of the province also focused on verifying and handling fishing vessels that lost connection to the voyage monitoring system (VMS) for more than 6 months and fishing vessels with a length of 24m or more that lost connection at sea for more than 10 days. As of March 12, the authorities issued decisions to sanction 11 violations of not maintaining connection to the VMS device. The reasons identified by the authorities were that the ship owner did not pay the rental fee for the VMS device, the captain turned off or disabled the device, due to technical errors, the quality of the device was not guaranteed, and there were many cases of unknown causes.

Regardless of time, the provincial Border Guard force patrols and controls fishing boats.

According to the owner of the ship with registration number TH 90085 TS Nguyen Van Trung, Quang Cu ward (Sam Son city), "during the fishing trip to the Gulf of Tonkin in mid-February 2024, my ship lost the VMS device signal to the shore station. During the exploitation, the crew focused on collecting the net winch and gathering seafood, not knowing that the ship had lost the VMS connection. When the ship returned to Lach Hoi Fishing Port, the authorities came down to verify the cause and made a record of the act of disconnecting the VMS connection on the fishing vessel. Through this incident, I contacted the unit that provided and installed the VMS equipment to check and maintain the equipment to operate stably, we feel more secure every time we go out to sea".

Thoroughly handling fishing vessels disconnecting from VMS and fishing vessel registration certificates, fishing licenses, technical safety certificates, fishing logbooks, and fishing vessel markings is one of the contents that the EC Inspection Team recommends localities to seriously implement during the 4th inspection. Realizing that, fisherman Vien Dinh Quyen, Quang Cu ward (Sam Son city) - owner of fishing vessel TH 93626 TS with a capacity of 823 CV specializing in fishing in the Gulf of Tonkin fishing grounds, said: "Before each trip, we notify and present documents, papers, and declare information to the Fishing Vessel Control Team at Lach Hoi Fishing Port 1 hour in advance for officers to check the conditions according to regulations. We feel comfortable when we fully comply with the conditions of exploitation and compliance, without having to avoid, sneak... when going offshore to stick to the sea. Before the fishing vessel returns to port, we notify the Fishing Port Management Board and present the logbook copy. Throughout the fishing journey, we comply with regulations to maintain connection with VMS equipment and only operate in permitted sea areas.

Fishermen of Ngu Loc commune (Hau Loc) prepare to go to sea.

With the province's determination to "reach the finish line" in combating IUU fishing, the rate of fishing vessels with a length of 15m or more installing VMS equipment reached 100%; fishing vessels marked according to regulations reached 100%... With the province's drastic directions, some coastal localities considered "hot spots" of fishing vessels at risk of violating IUU fishing have been basically overcome. Fishermen's awareness of combating IUU fishing has been significantly improved, for many consecutive years in coastal localities, no fishing vessels violating foreign waters have been arrested. Together with relevant departments, branches, and forces of the province, coastal districts, towns, and cities of the province focus on arranging human resources to coordinate with border posts, coastal border stations, and the Department of Fisheries to review and verify fishing vessels that have lost connection to VMS equipment, and grasp the developments of fishing vessels in the locality to each fishing household. Along with that, localities have plans to closely manage and monitor fishing vessels at high risk of violating IUU fishing, especially the "3 no" fishing vessels, fishing vessels staying on shore... ensuring full information and images are provided for proof when requested.

Forces inspecting voyage monitoring equipment on fishing vessels.

Mr. Trinh Cao Son, Vice Chairman of Hau Loc District People's Committee, said: "Implementing the peak period of anti-IUU fishing, the district has directed coastal communes and synchronously implemented many solutions, fishermen have clearly seen the responsibility of combating IUU legal fishing. The whole district has 555 means of fishing in 3 offshore, offshore and coastal areas. 100% of fishing vessels with a hull length of 6 to under 12m have been granted fishing licenses according to regulations; 83 fishing vessels of unknown origin have been numbered for management. After more than 10 days of checking fishing vessels by working groups in the district, 28 fishing vessels have been inspected; 53 fishing vessels have had their journey monitoring devices reactivated.

The district is directing the communes of Ngu Loc, Hoa Loc, Minh Loc... to organize the monitoring of aquatic product output through fishing ports managed by the district, private fishing ports or traditional ports, natural anchorage areas... The district's Steering Committee for Combating IUU Fishing coordinates with forces to prevent fishing vessels of 15m or more from unloading aquatic products at fishing ports, spontaneous fish landing points, and fishing ports other than designated fishing ports. Along with that, it requires ship owners to draw license plates according to regulations, not to leave license plates blurred, and not to hang temporary license plates...".

Fishermen in Minh Loc commune (Hau Loc) transport seafood.

Identifying seafood exploitation as one of the important fields in the province's marine economic development, the Provincial Steering Committee on combating IUU fishing continuously organizes peak periods of patrolling, inspecting and communicating laws on seafood exploitation and combating illegal fishing at sea.

Video: Mr. Cao Van Cuong, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, affirmed to tighten IUU fishing.

Patrol and control of fishing vessels on river mouths and estuaries.

With the highest spirit to prepare for the fourth inspection, as well as the determination, efforts and achievements of the whole province in overcoming the EC's recommendations, contributing to the whole country to soon remove the "yellow card" on seafood in the shortest time, ensuring the interests of the people, protecting the position and image of Vietnam in the international arena.

Reporter Group

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/kinh-te/vi-muc-tieu-go-the-vang-iuu-bai-3-vi-danh-du-quoc-gia-va-nhung-muc-tieu-lau-dai/209464.htm