Support fishermen to take control of marine exploitation

(Baonghean) -Over the years, 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 sea and island sovereignty.

The image of officers and soldiers of Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station present at Lach Quen port before each fishing trip has become familiar to fishermen. Coming to each ship, the border guards not only perform the function of managing and monitoring security in the maritime border area, issues related to ensuring maritime safety, but also grasp the thoughts and aspirations of fishermen, thereby promptly advising and proposing solutions to help local authorities and functional agencies have appropriate policies for the people as well as the aquatic resources exploitation industry. Meeting Mr. Ho Quang in Thanh Tien village, Tien Thuy commune when he was collecting the last ice trays before the ship set sail, he said: Thanks to the soldiers of Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station, people feel more secure when fishing far from shore. The border guards guide the inspection of vehicles, equipment to ensure safety, communication systems, sea routes and instruct crew members on coping skills at sea.

Soldiers of Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station on patrol.

Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station is responsible for managing and protecting the security of the sea and land routes spanning over 8 communes with more than 20km of coastline, 931 fishing vessels and over 6,000 workers. In 2012, the Station inspected, controlled and registered 20,827 vehicles and 182,391 people entering and leaving the estuary. Thanks to good work in grasping the situation and effectively using the grassroots network, in 2012, from 75 sources of information provided by the people, including 45 valuable sources of information, Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station detected and handled 32 cases, 32 subjects and 26 vehicles violating security and order, administratively fined and paid to the State Treasury over 125 million VND. In the first 6 months of this year alone, also through the support of fishermen, Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station coordinated with the Fisheries Control Department to inspect and handle 6 cases of using electric shocks in fishing and exploiting aquatic products, fighting and arresting 2 cases, 2 subjects seized 8.9 kg of firecrackers.

Captain Dau Dinh Thanh - Deputy Head of Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station said: Determining that the work of protecting security and maintaining sovereignty over seas and islands plays a very important role, in recent times, Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station has advised and built 72 safe fishing teams, 4 militia platoons of 8 local communes. The border guard force has also trained and instructed crew members, captains, and chief engineers on skills to respond to situations and developments during exploitation and fishing at sea, and instructed fishermen on methods of reporting situations, providing frequencies - communication information, rescue work, and rules of conduct when detecting and rescuing people and property of foreign vessels. Thanks to that, boats and fishermen have been more proactive and confident when participating in fishing, especially for offshore fishing boats.

As for Quynh Phuong Border Guard Station, among the nearly 900 fishing vessels of the 4 communes managed by the station for security, up to 50% of the vessels participate in fishing in the common fishing area between Vietnam and China. During this time, when China is unilaterally implementing the ban on fishing, Quynh Phuong Border Guard forces have instructed fishermen on methods, skills and ways of communication when participating in fishing in this area. Recently, the station has also built 2 militia platoons. This force combines fishing and participating in protecting sovereignty.

Through the Commune Fisheries Association, the Quynh Thuan Border Guard unit plays a connecting role to form 43 united teams. Accordingly, each team has from 7 to 10 boats. In addition to connecting and supporting each other in the process of exploiting aquatic products, the teams also play the role of providing information, developments of incidents, and situations at sea to the border guards and functional forces. Major Nguyen Trung Thanh - Deputy Head of Quynh Phuong Border Guard Station said: In the past time, the Station has advised local authorities and State agencies to provide preferential equipment for 21/43 Icom machines, coordinate positioning machines for fishing teams in the area. Each machine costs from 15 to 25 million VND, each year a team only spends 50,000 VND in subscription fees.

In reality, the labor force involved in fishing and exploitation always fluctuates in each period and time. This more or less creates difficulties for the management and guidance of the border guards. However, thanks to proactively following the area, doing a good job of mobilizing and propagating to each ship and crew, the border guards have created great trust among fishermen. That is the solid foundation for fishing boats to confidently go out to sea to find fish and participate in protecting the airspace and sea of ​​the Fatherland.

Article and photos: Dao Tuan