The National Steering Committee on Combating Illegal Fishing held an online meeting with coastal provinces and cities.
On the evening of October 14th, in Hanoi, the National Steering Committee on Combating Illegal Fishing held an online meeting with coastal provinces and cities to discuss the results of implementing measures to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in October.
Presiding from the Hanoi location was Comrade Tran Hong Ha - Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Deputy Prime Minister. Also attending were representatives from ministries and agencies that are members of the Steering Committee and coastal provinces.
At the Nghe An location, Comrade Nguyen Van De - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - presided over the meeting. Also present were representatives from departments and agencies that are members of the Provincial IUU Steering Committee.
Be decisive and proactive in implementing assigned tasks.
At the meeting, representatives from the Standing Committee of the National Steering Committee reported on the results of implementing the tasks assigned by the Prime Minister in Conclusion Notice No. 517/TB-VPCP of the Government Office dated September 26. Accordingly, along with advising on directives and urging further verification and inventory of unregistered vessels, compiling a list of 235 fishing vessels at high risk of IUU violations, and reporting to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and assigning localities to closely monitor and supervise them; the Ministry of Public Security has initiated legal proceedings against violations and continues to classify and manage high-risk fishing vessels anchored ashore.
During the working session with ministries, sectors, and localities, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha requested that ministries and sectors coordinate with network operators to apply technology for monitoring fishing vessels. When implementing this, localities should closely follow the Prime Minister's assigned plan; the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment should immediately develop solutions to increase the rate of declaration of seafood catch at ports for traceability purposes.
Other ministries and agencies, according to their assigned functions and duties, should proactively implement tasks, from verifying information and imposing strict administrative penalties to, if there are sufficient grounds, initiating legal proceedings…
Regarding local authorities, the Deputy Prime Minister requested a review of state-invested ports, declaring them eligible to require ships to enter designated ports as per regulations. For other ports, depending on infrastructure conditions, they should be allowed to operate smoothly.
Applying advanced technology to track and monitor the fleet.
Based on the additional statements from several ministries and agencies, the Deputy Prime Minister also noted that key media outlets should increase the airtime dedicated to publicizing the peak period of combating IUU fishing in preparation for the EC delegation; and requested that localities compile reports on any difficulties encountered.
Based on the directive, Nghe An province has confirmed the number of vessels at 2,634, a decrease of 1; the number of vessels undergoing inspection, licensing, and installation of VMS equipment is 1,038/1,041, reaching 99.71% and increasing by 9; 1,404/1,118 vessels have been inspected, reaching 99%, with 14 vessels whose inspections have expired and 1 vessel whose registration has been cancelled. Cumulatively from the beginning of the year to October 13th, 527 vessels have had their registrations cancelled or have been bought, sold, or transferred ownership; and 32 fishing vessels do not meet the operating requirements.
At the meeting, Nghe An reported on four outstanding achievements of the province after two weeks; and also outlined key tasks for the coming period, focusing on guiding efforts to combat IUU fishing; ensuring 100% of fishing vessels activate eCDT and implement traceability; controlling 100% of fishing vessels entering and leaving the harbor and resolutely preventing fishing vessels that do not meet the requirements from leaving the harbor.
On this occasion, like several other localities, Nghe An province has requested the Government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to invest in upgrading the fishing vessel monitoring system at the Fisheries and Fisheries Inspection Department, as well as at the provincial Fisheries Sub-departments, in order to enhance the application of technology, detect fishing vessels that lose connection early, and deploy software to automatically report the vessel's location when it loses VMS connection.
