Supporting fishermen to take ownership of their fishing operations at sea.
(Baonghean)Over the years, the Border Guard units in the Quynh Luu area have developed and implemented many programs and plans to support fishermen in proactively exploiting aquatic resources and participating in protecting maritime sovereignty.
The image of officers and soldiers from the Quynh Thuan Border Guard Post present at Lach Quen port before each fishing trip has become familiar to the local fishermen. At each vessel, the border guards not only manage and supervise the security of the maritime border area and issues related to ensuring maritime safety, but also understand the thoughts and aspirations of the fishermen. This allows them to promptly advise and propose solutions to help local authorities and relevant agencies develop appropriate policies for the people and the fisheries sector. Meeting Mr. Ho Quang in Thanh Tien village, Tien Thuy commune, while he was gathering the last trays of ice before his boat set sail, he shared: "Thanks to the soldiers of the Quynh Thuan Border Guard Post, the people feel more secure when fishing far offshore. The border guards guide and inspect the equipment, ensuring safety, communication systems, and sea routes, and instruct the crew members on how to cope with challenges at sea."
Soldiers from the Quỳnh Thuận Border Guard Post on patrol.
The Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station is responsible for managing and protecting the security of the coastal and inland areas spanning 8 communes with over 20km of coastline, 931 fishing vessels, and more than 6,000 workers. In 2012, the station conducted inspections, controls, and registrations of 20,827 vessels and 182,391 people entering and exiting the estuary. Thanks to effective intelligence gathering and the efficient use of the local network, in 2012, based on 75 pieces of information provided by the people, including 45 valuable pieces of information, the Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station detected and handled 32 cases involving 32 individuals and 26 vessels violating security and order, imposing administrative fines totaling over 125 million VND deposited into the State treasury. In the first six months of this year alone, with the support of local fishermen, the Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station, in coordination with the Fisheries Inspection Sub-Department, inspected and handled 6 cases of using electric shock devices in fishing and seafood exploitation, and apprehended 2 cases involving 2 individuals, seizing 8.9 kg of firecrackers.
Captain Dau Dinh Thanh – Deputy Head of Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station, said: Recognizing the crucial role of protecting maritime security and maintaining sovereignty over the islands, the Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station has, in recent times, advised on and established 72 self-governing safe fishing teams and 4 militia platoons in 8 communes within its jurisdiction. The border guard force has also provided training and guidance to crew members, captains, and engineers on skills to respond to situations and developments during fishing operations at sea, instructing fishermen on methods of reporting situations, providing communication frequencies, rescue operations, and rules of conduct when detecting and salvaging people and property from foreign vessels. As a result, fishing vessels and fishermen have become more proactive and confident when participating in fishing, especially those operating in offshore waters.
As for the Quynh Phuong Border Guard Post, out of nearly 900 fishing vessels in the four communes under its security management, up to 50% are engaged in fishing in the joint fishing area between Vietnam and China. During this time, while China is unilaterally implementing a fishing ban, the Quynh Phuong border guard force has guided fishermen on methods, skills, and communication techniques for fishing in this area. Over the past period, the post has also established two self-defense militia platoons. This force combines fishing with participating in the protection of national sovereignty.
Through the Fisheries Associations of the communes, the Quỳnh Thuận Border Guard unit plays a connecting role in forming 43 solidarity groups. Each group consists of 7 to 10 boats. Besides linking and supporting each other in fishing activities, these groups also serve as information providers, sharing updates on incidents and situations at sea with the border guard and other relevant forces. Major Nguyễn Trung Thành, Deputy Head of the Quỳnh Phương Border Guard Station, stated: "In the past, the station has advised the local government and state agencies to provide preferential equipment to 21 out of 43 fishing groups, including Icom radios and GPS devices. Each device costs between 15 and 25 million VND, and each group only pays 50,000 VND in subscription fees per year."
In reality, the workforce involved in fishing and aquaculture is constantly fluctuating across different periods and times. This creates difficulties for border guards in managing and guiding the area. However, thanks to proactively monitoring the area and effectively carrying out outreach and propaganda work with each vessel and crew member, the border guard force has gained significant trust from fishermen. This serves as a solid foundation, enabling fishing fleets to confidently venture out to sea to find fish schools and participate in protecting the nation's airspace and territorial waters.
Text and photos: Dao Tuan
