Enhancing the self-awareness of fishermen in combating IUU fishing.

Say "no" to borrowing documents for fishing!

Ngoc Bich commune (Dien Chau district) is a "key area" for fishing in the coastal waters of Nghe An province. This commune alone has nearly 400 boats ranging from 12 to 24 meters in length, accounting for two-thirds of the entire district's fishing fleet. When the Dien Thanh Border Guard Post launched a high-intensity operation, resolutely preventing boats without complete documentation from going out to fish at Lach Van estuary, hundreds of boats were forced to return to shore.

Mr. Nguyen Van Dung, Vice Chairman of the Ngoc Bich Commune People's Committee, said: "At the time of the operation to handle the issue, having received instructions from the province and district regarding the inspection of fishing boat documents entering and leaving the commune, after people came to the commune to express their concerns, the Commune People's Committee held dialogues and provided specific explanations to the people."

Mr. Le The Hieu, Deputy Head of the Agriculture and Environment Department of Dien Chau District, also confirmed: The inter-agency task of preventing boats without complete paperwork from leaving the harbor is necessary and in accordance with regulations. For a long time, due to lax enforcement, the practice of fishing boats near the shore using forged certificates has been widespread. Now, with stricter regulations, boats must have a crew list and the certificates of the captain and chief engineer must be accurate before they are allowed to leave the harbor.

In Ngoc Bich commune, about 90% of fishing boats, mostly under 12 meters long, have captain and chief engineer certificates, but the operators are not the correct people. Mr. Vu Van Son, a boat owner in Nam Thinh hamlet, said that his boat has three workers. He has a captain's certificate, and the other person used to have a chief engineer certificate but has since left. Even though the replacement has the same qualifications, they are not allowed to leave the harbor because the names on the certificates don't match.

Not only Mr. Son, but many other ship owners are in a similar situation, forced to make concessions and depend on their crew members. Furthermore, the majority of seafaring laborers are elderly, some illiterate, making it difficult for them to be inspected and have violations recorded.

This situation poses many challenges for fishing vessel management and requires more effective training and workforce engagement solutions. Mr. Tran Xuan Nhue, Head of the Exploitation Department of the Provincial Fisheries and Fisheries Inspection Sub-Department, said: Fishermen only come ashore for rest during the lunar cycle or bad weather, so training and awareness-raising sessions for fishermen are often held during these times. However, very few training sessions have the correct participants; instead, the wives and children of the captains and chief engineers attend in their place.

Recently, a fishing boat owner from Nghi Tan ward (Vinh City), after being issued a citation, asked the citation team to record the amount of the fine so he could pay it ashore and be allowed to continue fishing, as he could not afford a larger boat for offshore fishing.

It is known that fishermen in Dien Chau district find it very difficult to switch to inshore fishing. One of the reasons is that the infrastructure of wharves and waterways in Dien Chau district is shallow and does not meet the needs of large vessels.

On the other hand, due to declining fish stocks and limited awareness, fishermen still disregard regulations and misuse electric shock devices or use nets with excessively small mesh sizes for fishing. A fishing boat owner in Thuan Long commune (Quynh Luu district) said: Although the use of explosives has decreased, boats of the 4-pole type still use 3-phase electricity, with a power of 220V to 380V, to shock the bottom and use small mesh nets to drag the traps, making it difficult for fish of all sizes to escape; the already depleted fish stocks are becoming even more exhausted.

Supplementing policies to support fishermen in transitioning to other occupations.

In this context, a decisive operation by the Border Guard is necessary. A representative from the Thuan Long Commune Fisheries Association stated: The Association supports the Border Guard's stricter and more coordinated actions.

In Dien Chau district, the reality shows that after just one week of strict enforcement, many fishing households have changed their perceptions. On the afternoon of April 14th, dozens of households registered at the Ngoc Bich commune People's Committee to study for captain and chief engineer certificates. At the same time, at Lach Van Port in Ngoc Bich commune, dozens of boat owners, after providing all the necessary crew documents and logbooks, came to the port to complete the procedures for departing the harbor.

Representatives from the Ngoc Bich Commune People's Committee also stated: Compared to before, the district and province have created more favorable conditions for fishermen. For example, after supporting the purchase of VMS equipment, the province has approved allowing violating vessels to pay fines in installments. The Commune People's Committee is ready to facilitate the verification and updating of crew lists for fishermen who need it. While regulations stipulate a one-week waiting period for certification, the local authorities have proposed issuing temporary receipts so that the Border Guard can allow fishermen to leave the harbor.

In Quynh Luu district and Hoang Mai town, the awareness of owners of offshore fishing vessels has improved. Currently, 99% of vessels have installed VMS equipment, with some offshore vessels even having two VMS devices to ensure signal reliability in case of a malfunction. Vessel owners complete all necessary paperwork when leaving port or returning to shore.

However, practical experience in verifying and handling cases of fishing vessels losing VMS signals shows that determining the cause is quite challenging. During meetings with the central government, Nghe An province has repeatedly requested that ministries and agencies work with VMS equipment and service providers to find solutions.

Recently, a fishing boat owner in Thuan Long commune (Quynh Luu district), whose vessel was over 24 meters long, experienced a VMS signal loss for over 6 hours while fishing for extended periods. After returning to shore, the Border Guard Post prevented the boat from going out to sea, prompting a complaint to the equipment supplier. Upon investigation, VNPT determined the signal loss was due to objective factors, allowing the Border Guard to finally allow the vessel to leave the harbor.

Mr. Vu Ngoc Chatt, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thuan Long commune and Chairman of the Thuan Long Fisheries Association, said: "In the past, the authorities have been strictly penalizing fishing vessels that have lost signal for extended periods, which is correct. However, it is also necessary to objectively inspect and verify the quality of VMS equipment and signals to penalize the supplier and ensure that no fishing vessel is unfairly penalized or has its fishing trip delayed."

Based on local realities, the Dien Chau Fisheries Association and the Hoang Mai Town Fisheries Association recommend continued dissemination of the 2017 Fisheries Law and the fight against IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing; and simultaneously, amendment of Resolution 18/2020/NQ-HĐND to include additional support for fishermen transitioning to other professions, such as preferential loans for overseas employment and support for training costs for captain and engineer certifications. Alongside this, they suggest tightening management, providing both support policies and requiring crew members to possess the appropriate certifications for their positions to enhance awareness and professionalism in the fishing industry.