Nghe An sets up a team to inspect fishing and fishing logistics at sea.

In order to prevent illegal fishing activities, Nghe An province established an interdisciplinary team to inspect compliance with legal regulations on fishing activities and fishing logistics services in coastal waters and offshore waters of Nghe An.

The delegation was led by Comrade Nguyen Chi Luong - Head of the Fisheries Sub-Department. The delegation included representatives from relevant departments, branches, border guards and districts.

Disseminate the delegation's tasks and regulations to members of the inter-sectoral fisheries inspection delegation. Photo by Nguyen Hai

According to the plan, the delegation will operate from May to October 2020, accordingly, it will inspect fishing vessels operating in aquatic exploitation and fishing logistics services at sea.

Fishing vessels in the sea areas are assigned their own paint color and size markings on the side of the vessel for authorities to identify and inspect. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Through inspection activities, the delegation will propagate and disseminate regulations on combating illegal exploitation and fishing and the Fisheries Law to fishermen; the compliance status of fishermen after licensing will be synthesized and reported to the Provincial People's Committee.

During the inspection process, if illegal fishing or violations of regulations on fishing areas or destruction of aquatic resources are detected, warnings and penalties will be issued according to regulations.

Fisheries surveillance ship VN 93967-KN sets out to inspect and monitor fishing activities of fishermen. Photo: Nguyen Hai

In the first phase, the inspection team went from the North of Lach Quen to the sea bordering Thanh Hoa province. The inspection focused on compliance with fishing licenses, life-saving equipment, the use of fishing gear, detonators, explosives, marking fishing vessels, keeping fishing logs, installing voyage monitoring equipment, etc.

Right on the way to the sea, the team checked the procedures and reminded the fishermen to move in accordance with the issued license. In the photo: The team inspected the NA 80026 ship of fisherman Tran Minh Hai in Dien Ngoc commune (Dien Chau). Photo: Nguyen Hai

On the morning of May 22, the delegation inspected 3 small fishing boats, of which 2 were warned, 1 boat was checked for license, life-saving and fire-fighting equipment, and 1 boat was fishing nearby and cut its net and fled when it discovered the fisheries inspection boat.

The fisheries surveillance force had to use the highway and secretly approach the violating fishing boats so that they would not resist and run away. Photo: Nguyen Hai

As of December 31, 2019, Nghe An had 3,490 fishing vessels, with a total capacity of 660,058 CV, and an average capacity of 189.13 CV/vessel. Of the approximately 2,000 offshore fishing vessels annually (including vessels 12m or longer in length), 540 vessels were 12 to under 15m in length; 799 vessels were 15m to under 20m in length; 248 vessels were 20m to 24m in length; 228 vessels were 24 to 30m in length and 7 vessels were over 30m in length.

To be inspected and licensed for fishing at sea, vessels over 24m in length must install GPS before July 1, 2019; vessels between 15 and 24m in length must install GPS before January 1, 2020, and vessels between 12 and under 15m in length must install GPS before April 1, 2020.

Article 50, Law on Fisheries 2017