Nghe An requires 100% of fishing boats to be marked according to regulations.
The Provincial People's Committee has just issued an official dispatch directing departments, branches and localities to implement the conclusion of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang at the preliminary conference of the National Steering Committee on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
In the above document, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested:
Provincial departments, branches and authorities of coastal districts and communes:Continue to focus on leading and directing the strict implementation of Directive No. 12-CT/TW of the Secretariat on strengthening the Party's leadership in combating IUU fishing and sustainable development of the fisheries sector; Resolution No. 52/NQ-CP dated April 22 of the Government and the contents of Notice No. 354/TB-UBND dated May 10, 2024 of the Provincial People's Committee related to combating IUU fishing.
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development:Take the lead in coordinating with relevant departments, branches and localities to propagate and disseminate to fishermen, ship owners, captains and relevant enterprises, agencies and organizations the content of Resolution No. 04/2024/NQ-HDTP dated June 12, 2024 of the Council of Judges of the Supreme People's Court guiding the application of a number of provisions of the Penal Code on criminal prosecution for acts related to illegal exploitation, trading and transportation of aquatic products, printing leaflets, building billboards and posters at fishing ports and residential areas on the group of acts of illegal exploitation, trading and transportation of aquatic products that are prosecuted under Resolution No. 04 above. At the same time, preside over and coordinate with the Provincial Border Guard Command, district and commune authorities to regularly inspect, review, count, and grasp the number of fishing vessels in the area and ensure that 100% of fishing vessels that meet the conditions for fishing activities must be painted, marked, and have registration numbers according to regulations.
- Urgently direct the completion of granting fishing licenses, registration, inspection, issuance of food safety certificates, installation of VMS equipment for operating fishing vessels; fully update fishing vessel data into the national fisheries database (VN Fishbase); direct the Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance to coordinate with district and commune authorities and Border Guard Stations to implement steps to register the "3 no" group of vessels in accordance with regulations, to be completed before September 30, 2024.
- Strengthen inter-sectoral patrols to manage fishing vessel activities at sea; inspection teams to combat IUU fishing at fishing ports, inter-sectoral teams and related units; strictly handle violations. Continue to research and advise on policy mechanisms to tighten management of fishing activities, change jobs for fishermen, ensure anti-IUU fishing and sustainable development. Take the lead in coordinating with the Department of Finance to advise on budget allocation for propaganda and training on Resolution No. 04/2024/NQ-HDTP and Decree No. 37/2024/ND-CP and Decree No. 38/2024/ND-CP of the Government and regulations related to anti-IUU fishing for fishermen, ship owners, captains, businesses and related organizations.
Provincial Border Guard CommandContinue to propagate, guide and mobilize fishermen not to illegally exploit seafood in foreign waters. Violations are regulated in Resolution No. 04/2024/NQ-HDTP.
Direct the Coast Guard Stations and Border Guard Stations to strengthen management, inspection and control of people and fishing vessels before leaving and entering ports and when operating at sea; register, verify, inspect and strictly control means of entry and exit at inlets; and strictly follow the prescribed processes and procedures.
Ensure not only 100% control of fishing vessels passing through the Control Station but also closely manage and monitor deregistered vessels, fishing vessels that are not qualified to operate and high-risk groups violating foreign waters; control 100% of fishing vessels from other provinces operating in the management unit's area, establish a mechanism for sharing and exchanging with coordinating forces and relevant localities to proactively manage, monitor, supervise and promptly apply measures to prevent fishing vessels from violating IUU fishing.
(Excerpt from document No. 6636/UBND-NN)
Investigate, verify, and handle 100% of IUU fishing violations according to authority, focusing on fishing vessels sending VMS equipment to other fishing vessels, vessels transporting VMS of other fishing vessels; fishing vessels disconnecting VMS; verifying and clarifying the methods of fishing vessels crossing the boundaries of Vietnam's waters and violating foreign waters to have effective prevention plans.
Assign to the Provincial Police and relevant departments:Based on the assigned functions and tasks, detailed implementation. Specifically, the Provincial Police will strengthen the situation grasp, investigate, promptly detect and strictly handle organizations and individuals who act as brokers, collude to bring fishing boats to illegally exploit aquatic products in foreign waters; act of dismantling, storing, transporting VMS monitoring equipment of fishing boats; falsifying, legalizing documents and certificates of aquatic product origin for export; violations according to Resolution 04/NQ-HDTP of the Supreme Court's Judicial Council.
For District People's Committees:Strengthen propaganda and dissemination to fishermen on criminal handling of IUU fishing violations according to Resolution 04 to create changes in awareness and deterrence. Urgently review records, issue decisions to strictly punish fishing boat captains who violate disconnection from January 1, 2023 to January 24, 2024, complete and report to the Provincial People's Committee before August 25, 2024.
Have a plan to closely monitor and manage fishing vessels in the area, especially fishing vessels that have not installed VMS equipment, "3 no" fishing vessels, fishing vessels at high risk of violating IUU fishing; ensure to provide full information on quantity, vessel owner, anchorage location, cause... when requested. For groups of vessels that have not installed VMS, periodically send weekly images of the vessel's anchorage location to the Department of Fisheries - Fisheries Control for monitoring./.
