Strengthening coordination, improving the effectiveness of inspection and handling of fishing vessels violating IUU fishing
(Baonghean.vn) - On the afternoon of November 10, in Vinh City, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Border Guard Command of Nghe An province held a preliminary review of the coordination between agencies and functional forces in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Representatives of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Provincial Border Guard Command co-chaired the conference. Also attending were representatives of relevant departments and branches, People's Committees of coastal districts and towns, and representatives of a number of fishermen.
On behalf of the Standing Office of the Provincial IUU Steering Committee, Mr. Tran Xuan Hoc - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development delivered the opening speech, emphasizing the significance of strengthening coordination activities in inspection and combat.combating IUU fishingCurrently. Based on the review of the outstanding results of recent anti-IUU fishing activities and the limitations and weaknesses, the representative of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also announced the preliminary results of the EC's inspection and work in Vietnam at the end of October. Accordingly, the EC has not yet removed the yellow card for Vietnamese seafood but has extended the next inspection to May 2024.
On November 4, 2023, the Prime Minister issued a telegram to continue to resolutely implement solutions to inspect and handle fishing vessels violating IUU fishing and the next 6 months will be a decisive time for Vietnam to make efforts to remove the yellow card; the authorities will have to increase patrol and inspection activities and will resolutely handle violations of long-term VMS disconnection; resolutely not allow vessels without full registration and inspection documents to go to sea; thoroughly handle so that the phenomenon of "3 no" vessels no longer goes fishing. The authorities and localities need to actively participate in propaganda so that the fisheries association and fishermen understand this spirit and comply...
(Excerpt from the speech shared by the leader of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development at the working session)
After 2 and a half years of implementing the Coordination Plan No. 1249/KHPH-SNN-BCHBP dated April 19, 2021 between the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Provincial Border Guard Command, the two sectors have coordinated to advise the province to issue many documents directing and urging the implementation of Government regulations and the National IUU Steering Committee on combating IUU fishing; organizing manypropaganda campaign for fishermen about seafood fishingaccording to the 2017 Fisheries Law and protect the sovereignty of the sea and islands. In addition, the two sectors also coordinate to organize many campaigns to fight for the protection of sovereignty, patrol, check, control, inspect fisheries and handle violations; manage the fleet entering and leaving the port...
Thanks to that, seafood exploitation and fishing activities have initially been put into order, in accordance with the provisions of the Fisheries Law. Along with strengthening the management of fishing fleets, the two sectors have taken measures to verify and handle violating fishing vessels. Specifically, since 2021, the Provincial Border Guard Command has investigated and verified 9 vessels violating maritime boundaries; discovered 8 ship owners/captains violating VMS equipment while operating at sea, thereby imposing a fine of 200 million VND on 8 violating ship owners. In 2022, the investigation determined 19 ship owners/captains violating VMS equipment while operating at sea.
The Provincial Border Guard Command has fined 18 fishing boat owners VND450 million, revoked the right to use diplomas and certificates for 4 months and 15 days for 2 captains; in the first 10 months of 2022, the investigation determined that 8 fishing boats had violated VMS equipment when operating at sea and fishing in the wrong area; thereby, decided to fine 8 fishing boat owners VND190 million for administrative violations...
At the conference, representatives of Border Guard Stations, some localities and Fishing Port Management Boards gave speeches reviewing the dissemination activities of the Fisheries Law, the results of inspection and supervision of estuary areas, and the patrol and handling of violations in the past time, thereby presenting some lessons learned and proposing solutions to difficulties and obstacles...
On behalf of the standing agency of the Provincial IUU Steering Committee, Colonel Ho Quyet Thang - Deputy Commander of the Provincial Border Guard answered the recommendations of the locality and the coastal Border Guard station on the difficulties. Based on the comments and high consensus on the solutions to enhance the effectiveness of coordination in inspecting and handling IUU fishing activities, the representative of the Provincial IUU Steering Committee thoroughly grasped and followed the spirit of the Prime Minister's recent telegram on focusing on solutions to remove the yellow card from now until May 2024 for implementation; departments, branches and localities need to make efforts to overcome limitations and weaknesses; promptly have synchronous solutions to combat IUU fishing in the coming time./.