All fishing ports fully implement electronic catch documenting and traceability system by 2025

The electronic Catch Documentation and Traceability (eCDT) system has documented a total of 7,940 departures of fishing vessels.

A representative from the Fisheries Department submitted this information during a meeting on the morning of June 6th regarding the implementation of the plan to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Since January 2024, the Department of Fisheries leadership has provided guidelines for localities to implement the software. They have also conducted training sessions for various entities including fish ports, fishermen representatives, sub-departments, and representatives of processing material purchasing factories.

After a period of five months, numerous fish ports have effectively streamlined the departure and arrival protocols for fishing vessels using the software. They now issue receipts for the loading and unloading of aquatic products at the port and provide businesses with certificates of harvested aquatic materials (SC).

"Currently, a total of 83 ports have declared the adoption of departure protocols for fishing vessels on the system, and 56 ports have been assigned to commence operations, with a recorded count of 7,940 departures of fishing vessels. Additionally, 47 out of 83 fish ports had established entrance procedures for fishing vessels, resulting in a total of 4,356 fishing vessel arrivals",  a leader of Department of Fisheries indicated.  

As per the proposal, the Department of Fisheries will regularly gather, track, and disclose a roster of fishing vessels that are very likely to violate IUU fishing regulations, engage in illegal fishing in foreign waters, and are classified as "3-no" fishing vessels (no registration, no license, no inspection). In addition, local authorities must oversee and provide daily updates on the outcomes of any infractions on the disconnection of VMS (Vessel Monitoring Systems) and the unauthorized crossing of designated maritime limits, in accordance with legislation. The objective is to ultimately capture any fishing vessels that disconnect or trespass borders.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Hung, the Director of the Fisheries Resources Surveillance Department, has recommended that the Ministry develop a comprehensive plan outlining the immediate and essential tasks to be completed in anticipation of the fifth inspection by the European Commission.

The issued plan has specified the tasks of the primary agency, coordinating agencies, the time frame for completion, and the expected outcomes. Mr. Hung emphasized the relevant units' need to carefully carry out the implementation.

The Department of Fisheries is accountable for overseeing the regulation of fleet management. This involves collaborating with the Fisheries Inspection Department, the Legal Department, and other relevant agencies and units to manage, monitor, and enforce strict control over the fishing fleet. The department is also responsible for granting licenses for the construction and modification of fishing vessels following regulations. Additionally, it plays a crucial role in urging localities to ensure that fishing vessel data is consistently updated in the national fisheries database, VNFishbase.

The Deputy Minister stressed the importance of periodically updating the list for monitoring, inspecting, and supervising fishing vessel activities following legislation. It is imperative to take action against all "3-no" fishing vessels. Furthermore, it is imperative to specify the execution of Circular 06, which modifies and enhances various provisions of Circular 23 regarding inspectors for fishing vessels; acknowledging facilities for inspecting fishing vessels; guaranteeing the technical security of fishing vessels and fisheries inspection vessels; registering fishing vessels and fisheries service vessels; removing fishing vessels from registration, and labeling fishing vessels.

"Despite the high prevalence of fishing vessels equipped with VMS devices, exceeding 98%, the issue of fishing vessels experiencing disconnection at sea continues to persist. Conversely, the provider asserts that gadget mistakes account for a mere 0.2% of the total, whereas the majority of errors are attributed to vessel owners. A significant proportion of fishing vessels, specifically 96%, have been marked, leaving only a remaining 4%," Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien emphasized. In addition, the Deputy Minister urged the Fisheries Department and the Fisheries Inspection Department to collaborate to guarantee that all fishing vessels are fitted with VMS devices and painted following rules.

The officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have called for the prompt and thorough implementation of the electronic traceability system for aquatic products, starting from eCDT fishing, with a deadline set for September 2024.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien proposed that to be ready for the upcoming fifth visit of the EC working group, anticipated in September, the Departments should collaborate closely with localities to prevent bureaucratic problems in fleet management and the treatment of breaches.

"It is necessary for all fishing vessels to update their records and positions regularly. To prevent vessels suspected of violating foreign waters, tampering with identification numbers, sustaining damage, or obscuring identification numbers from being ignored, it is crucial to update their positions and addresses on a weekly basis," Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien underscored.