Coastal provinces asked to strictly handle illegal fishing boats

In the first months of 2021, the situations of Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermen violating foreign seas have occurred complicatedly. These activities have bruised Vietnam’s good image and prestige as well as the effort to remove the European Commission’s yellow card, which is struggling and has risk of being upgraded to “red card”. By May 15, there were 32 incidents in which 56 vessels and 446 fishermen were captured and handled by foreign forces, mainly fishermen from the coastal provinces of Kien Giang, Ba Ria Vung Tau, Binh Dinh, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Quang Nam, Soc Trang. The European Commission evaluated this issue seriously.

The MARD has demanded related provinces strictly sanction organizations and individuals having their vessels in foreign seas. Besides, all fishing vessels that are required to install cruise monitoring devices must complete the installation of VMS equipment.

Provinces were also asked to resolutely deal with offenders who fail to comply with regulations on equipping cruise monitoring equipment during operations at sea; strictly handle suppliers of cruise monitoring equipment for fishermen who do not meet the technical requirements as prescribed in Decree No. 42/2019/ND-CP dated May 16, 2019. Develop and issue internal procedures on inspection, examination, control, and handling of fishing vessels showing signs of violation by VMS cruise monitoring equipment; organize all-time monitoring of the journey, timely detect, warn, prevent and handle fishing vessels illegally fishing in foreign waters. Review and evaluate the performance of the Office of Fisheries Inspection and Control.

On the basis of the assessment, provinces need to adopt solutions including supply manpower, facilities, and funds to improve the capacity of task performance of monitoring fisheries activities at the fishing port to strengthen inspection, and control fishing activities in chains and serve the traceability work according to regulations.

The competent authorities also asked to continue to review and evaluate the implementation of the regulation on coordination between agencies, units with localities, and functional forces in handling violated fishing vessels. At the same time, review and strengthen the Provincial Steering Committee on IUU fishing for a more effective operation. In addition, continuing to strengthen the propaganda, dissemination, and regulations on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) for local fishing boat owners, captains, and fishermen; especially ship owners whose fishing vessels violate and are at high risk of illegal fishing in foreign waters.