From July 1, fishing boats over 24m without a journey monitoring device will not be allowed to go to sea.

From now until July 1, all ships over 24m in length must be equipped with voyage monitoring devices. Photo: Xuan Hoang

According to Decree 26, dated March 8, 2019 of the Prime Minister, by July 1, 2019, fishing vessels over 24m must install a journey monitoring device to manage the exploitation of seafood at sea. This is also one of the requirements of the European Union (EU) to remove the yellow card for Vietnam on combating illegal fishing.

Fishermen Dong Van Manh in Son Hai commune, Quynh Luu district, fish more effectively thanks to the installation of modern communication equipment and fish finders. Photo: Viet Hung

According to the Department of Fisheries, Nghe An currently has 3,521 fishing boats, including 1,089 boats from 15 to 24m and 234 boats with a length of 24m or more.

But by April 2019, the province had only 8 ships over 24m long equipped with voyage monitoring devices. This progress is slow, because there is not much time left from now until July 1.

Quynh Luu fishermen prepare for a trip to sea. Photo: Xuan Hoang

After July 1, fishing vessels of the prescribed length, if not equipped with a voyage monitoring device, will not be granted a seafood exploitation certificate by the Department of Fisheries, which means that the authorities will resolutely not allow them to go to sea for production.

Mr. Nguyen Chi Luong - Head of the Department of Fisheries

To speed up the progress of installing journey monitoring devices on fishing vessels according to regulations, Mr. Nguyen Chi Luong - Head of the Department of Fisheries said: During this time, the Department of Fisheries will coordinate with localities to strengthen propaganda and mobilize fishermen to install journey monitoring devices on vessels according to regulations.

However, the most difficult thing is still instructing fishermen to keep fishing diaries according to regulations, because the intellectual level of a part of fishermen is still limited.

On March 8, 2019, the Prime Minister issued Decree No. 26 detailing a number of articles and measures to implement the Fisheries Law. Accordingly, the roadmap for installing fishing vessel monitoring equipment: Fishing vessels with a maximum length of 24m or more must install voyage monitoring equipment before July 1, 2019; for trawlers and tuna fishing vessels with a maximum length of 15m to less than 24m must install before January 1, 2020; fishing vessels with a maximum length of 15m to less than 24m must install before April 1, 2020.