Ca Mau Province to strictly address IUU fishing violations

According to a report from Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee, the province recorded nearly 12,500 instances of fishing vessels disconnecting their monitoring systems between October 2023 and late September 2024. This figure has significantly decreased over the months; however, violations remain prevalent.

Notably, data on IUU fishing violations indicate that from October 2023 to mid-May 2024, there were 12,015 instances of vessels disconnecting their monitoring systems for durations ranging from 6 hours to under 10 days. Among these, vessels measuring over 24 meters in length accounted for over 330 cases, while vessels measuring between 15 and 24 meters in length accounted for nearly 11,685 cases. On the other hand, there were 223 instances of vessels disconnecting their monitoring systems for more than 10 days, all involving vessels measuring between 15 and 24 meters in length.

From mid-May 2024 to late September 2024, provincial authorities recorded nearly 450 cases of fishing vessels disconnecting their monitoring systems, a significant decrease compared to the previous months. Among this group, 24 instances involved vessels disconnecting their monitoring systems for more than 10.

Since October 2023, local authorities have detected 42 out of 43 local fishing vessels involved in violations such as removing, failing to maintain, or deactivating vessel monitoring systems. Consequently, the province has issued a fine to 30 vessels for a total amount of over 1.2 billion VND. Notably, the province prosecuted one criminal case for “Obstructing or disrupting the operation of computer networks, telecommunications networks, and electronic devices.” The province also has 11 ongoing investigations into 11 other cases.

Ca Mau Province has prosecuted three criminal cases for “Organizing or brokering illegal overseas migration or residence” and one case for “Organizing or brokering illegal entry and exit.” Two cases have entered the trial stage, serving as a deterrent for the local community. Furthermore, the prosecution was effective in raising public awareness.

Le Van Su, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, highlighted significant challenges in enforcing anti-IUU fishing regulations. Difficulties in verifying and collecting evidence of violations at sea have delayed the handling of numerous violations. Additionally, several vessel owners refuse to cooperate and deliberately evade responsibility.

Despite a fishing output of over 177,030 tons in the first nine months of 2024, IUU fishing remains a severe issue in Ca Mau Province. Accordingly, the province has recorded 206 violations since the beginning of the year, including 114 related to IUU fishing, with total fines reaching 6.424 billion VND.

“Ca Mau Province has implemented comprehensive measures with the aim of eliminating IUU fishing violations. The province has also focused on raising awareness regarding legal regulations, the impacts of IUU fishing, and compliance with directives from the central government for local vessel owners and captains. A key initiative is the application of information technology in managing fishing vessels. All vessels measuring over 15 meters in length are equipped with monitoring systems, which allow for more effective activity tracking. Additionally, local fishing ports are effectively carrying out inspection activities,” Vice Chairman Su emphasized.

He also noted that to enhance efforts in the campaign against IUU fishing, Ca Mau Province has proposed several measures, including improved community education, enhacned patrols, and strict enforcement of penalties. Projects for restoring and regenerating aquatic resources are also under development.

According to a report from MARD, the Ministry, as the permanent agency of the National Steering Committee on IUU, sent a delegation to Belgium to meet the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE), which is a part of the European Commission, from April 22 to April 26. The delegation aimed to address the issue of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activities and discuss the removal of the EC's "yellow card". Additionally, the delegation provided a report on the implementation results of the EC's recommendations after the fourth inspection in October 2023.

The Commission acknowledged and commended Vietnam's efforts in implementing its recommendations after the fourth inspection in October 2023. Namely, Vietnam made significant progress in completing its legal framework, improving fishing fleets, enhancing origin traceability, and strengthening penalties for illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing violations.