Nghe An Border Guard detects and advises on handling many violations of IUU fishing

PV:Now is the peak time for the whole country to deployOvercoming European Commission warning against exploitationIUUand the Fisheries Law 2017It is known that the Border Guard is also a mobilized force to strengthen coordination in implementation. Can you tell us about the tasks the unit has been and is carrying out?

Colonel Duong Hong Hai:The implementation of overcoming the European Commission's warning on combating IUU fishing is an important political task directed by the Politburo to be implemented nationwide. Strictly implementing Directive No. 32-CT/TW dated April 10, 2024 of the Secretariat on strengthening the Party's leadership over IUU fishing and sustainable development of the fisheries sector, Official Dispatch No. 49/CD-TTg dated May 15, 2024 of the Prime Minister on focusing on detecting, investigating and verifying information, handling violations of regulations on the Fishing Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), and many directives of the Border Guard Command as well as of all levels, sectors, and provinces, the Nghe An Border Guard Command has developed implementation plans.

Specifically, deploy 4 working groups with 15 officers in reinforced units at coastal border posts, maintain 1 working group of the Command to regularly inspect, urge and guide units to implement anti-IUU fishing. From January 1, 2024 to July 20, 2024, we have organized 329 patrols and controlled 1,039 officers and soldiers participating; registered and controlled 29,589 fishing vessels/148,428 workers entering and leaving river mouths and estuaries in accordance with regulations. Resolutely not let ships that do not meet the conditions leave port, especially "3 no" fishing vessels.

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Carrying out assigned tasks, from February 2024, the Provincial Border Guard Command launched a peak campaign against IUU fishing throughout the province.

The Command has directed units to effectively coordinate with relevant levels, sectors, localities, and functional forces to organize propaganda on the Party's guidelines, policies, and laws of the State, focusing on the 2017 Fisheries Law, and to implement solutions to overcome the European Commission's warning on IUU fishing. From the beginning of 2024 to present, the Border Guard force has propagated to 400 people; distributed more than 678 leaflets, presented 300 national flags, 50 photos of Uncle Ho; signed commitments for 3,005 vehicle owners. Coordinated with the Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance, the Fishing Port Management Board to propagate and disseminate the catch information management software (CDT VN) and user manuals for fishermen to manage, understand the meaning and effectiveness of using CDT VN software in exporting and importing channels and declaring the origin of aquatic and seafood products.

From January 1, 2024 to July 31, 2024, regarding investigation, verification and handling of administrative violations: The Provincial Border Guard has strengthened patrolling, controlling, detecting, investigating, verifying and sanctioning administrative violations in 30 cases/31 subjects/30 vehicles; issued decisions to sanction administrative violations in the amount of more than 109 million VND for violations of exploitation at sea: Discarding fishing gear, fishing vessel registration number, fishing logbook, no crew register, crew members not listed in the register, no crew insurance, no fishing license, arbitrarily removing journey monitoring equipment...

In particular, we also checked the remaining number of vessels that have not been investigated and verified, which is 219, of which 63 vessels have been operating for a long time in 9 southern provinces and cities (Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Ninh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, Vung Tau). The Command is completing the data to advise the Provincial People's Committee to send an official dispatch to the above provinces and cities to request coordination in investigating, verifying, and handling fishing vessels of Nghe An fishermen who have lost VMS connection.

PV: Thus, the peak period of the force's anti-IUU fishing campaign has been underway for nearly half a year. Could you tell us more specifically about the difficulties and problems that need to be solved?

Colonel Duong Hong Hai:The biggest difficulty is investigating and verifying VMS disconnection errors. For example, for fishing vessels that have been disconnected for more than 6 months, the profile data is classified according to the status of the vessel being anchored at the fishing port, the vessel has been sold, transferred to a ship owner in another province, and the notification of disconnection is still duplicated.

In addition to the VMS disconnection error, we also discovered many IUU violations such as: not complying with inspection and control by competent authorities (4 subjects/4 vehicles). Errors in discarding fishing gear, fishing vessel registration number, fishing logbook, no crew member list, crew member name not in the list, no crew member insurance, no national flag, no fishing license, crew member without identification documents, arbitrarily removing the journey monitoring device.

Regarding violations of foreign waters, through receiving and handling 7 notifications/8 vehicles from the Coast Guard, the Provincial Border Guard Command has directed professional departments to coordinate with coastal border stations to investigate and verify 8/8 vehicles that do not have sufficient grounds to handle the behavior, of which 2 vehicles are not on the province's fishing vessel registration and management system, and the owner cannot be identified. 2 subjects/2 vehicles whose owners do not have fishing logs have been handled. Advised on handling 4 subjects/4 vehicles violating regulations on communication equipment and journey monitoring equipment on fishing vessels.

Another difficulty is that the waterway and port systems have not met practical needs. Up to now, the border control stations have not had control bridges that meet standards, and Lach Quen Border Control Station still has no control bridge.

PV: The time for the EC delegation to return to Vietnam to assess the implementation of the “yellow card removal” is approaching. Nghe An authorities are also working hard to strengthen coordination to address the recommendations. Could you tell us about the coordination solutions to improve the effectiveness of addressing the EC’s recommendations in Nghe An?

Colonel Duong Hong Hai:The implementation of monitoring fishing vessel journeys is related to the awareness and responsibility of vessel owners, local authorities and key agencies and units such as the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and enterprises providing equipment and telecommunication service packages. During the investigation and verification process, border guards have compiled data on fishing vessels losing VMS connection and sent it by official dispatch and assigned officers to work directly with network service centers to resolve existing problems.

Currently, this work is waiting for feedback results to supplement the dossier, advise levels, sectors, and localities to decide on the direction of handling and resolution. At the same time, continue to coordinate with localities, agencies, and units to increase the frequency of propaganda, strictly control ships and boats entering and leaving the channel according to regulations.

It is expected that in early August 2024, the Border Guard Command and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also have a plan to meet, discuss and resolve difficulties and obstacles, and further strengthen coordination to resolve existing problems in order to complete the task of combating IUU fishing as directed by the Government, for the benefit of sustainable economic development of the whole country.

PV: Thanks Colonel!