This afternoon, May 23, the Department of Fisheries Surveillance, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development held an online conference with 28 coastal localities to implement Official Dispatch No. 49/CD-TTg of the Prime Minister on focusing on detecting, investigating and verifying information to handle violations of regulations on fishing vessel monitoring systems (VMS).
Delegates attending the conference at Quang Tri bridge point - Photo: LA
The basic content of Official Dispatch 49 requires the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to preside over and coordinate with relevant ministries, branches and People's Committees of coastal provinces and centrally run cities to review the entire VMS system (including hardware and software), continue to add fishing vessel management features to ensure immediate and timely detection of cases of unauthorized disconnection and removal of VMS equipment to other vessels.
Establish a timely information sharing mechanism among competent authorities to ensure that cases of fishing vessels violating VMS regulations are detected as quickly as possible, promptly investigated, information verified, and records consolidated for punishment according to regulations.
At the same time, widely communicate to fishermen cases of ship owners and fishermen being punished to deter, raise awareness and educate the community.
The Ministry of National Defense strictly inspects and controls the installation and status of VMS equipment on fishing vessels when entering and leaving ports and operating at sea to promptly detect, prevent and handle violations of VMS regulations.
Closely monitor and regularly contact fishing communities at high risk of violating foreign waters and bordering waters to promptly detect and handle violations. The Ministry of Public Security promptly detects, investigates and verifies information to thoroughly and strictly handle cases of fishing vessels violating VMS regulations.
The Ministry of Justice reviews and advises on solutions for managing and handling fishing vessels violating VMS equipment, to guide and support localities in implementation.
People's Committees of coastal localities focus resources and funding to review and ensure that 100% of fishing vessels over 15 m long when participating in fishing at sea must install equipment and maintain connection to the VMS system according to regulations.
Arrange for qualified and professional staff to monitor each local fishing vessel on the VMS system, promptly detect, investigate and verify information to thoroughly and strictly handle cases of fishing vessels violating VMS regulations...
Concluding the conference, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien suggested that, in order to ensure the best results at the 5th inspection by the European Commission (EC), and to be determined to achieve the goal of removing the "yellow card" warning in 2024, ministries, branches and localities continue to synchronously and drastically implement solutions to control, prevent and promptly handle violations of IUU regulations right on shore and at sea; and put an end to the situation of fishing vessels and fishermen violating illegal exploitation in foreign waters.
Coastal localities are required to urgently review the number of fishing vessels that have not installed VMS equipment; review all fishing vessels that have been disconnected for a long time to ensure that they do not participate in fishing activities. Absolutely do not allow fishing vessels that do not maintain the operation of VMS equipment to go to sea. Strictly handle fishing vessels that violate VMS regulations, especially those that transport or send VMS equipment as a deterrent.
Le An
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