EC is planning for an IUU inspection in Phu Yen province

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On April 19, the delegation led by Mr. Nguyen Quang Hung, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Fisheries, paid a visit to Dong Tac fishing port in Tuy Hoa city, Phu Yen province. The team reviewed the implementation of the European Committee's recommendations on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Hung and his team assessed that Phu Yen province has effectively implemented the contents and provisions of the law on anti-IUU fishing. The province has efficiently managed the control of fishing vessels traveling through the port, fishing output on the wharf, fishing log recording of ship crews, as well as the registration and installation of vessel monitoring system (VMS).

According to a report from Phu Yen Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the province currently has 641 out of 653 fishing vessels over 15 meters in length installed vessel monitoring systems, reaching a 98.16% implementation rate. All local fishing vessels have been registered, certified and licensed for fishing according to the national database system (Vnfishbase). One thing to note is that Phu Yen province has not received any reports of illegal fishing vessels in foreign waters since 2019.

However, Mr. Hung said that the province still need to immediately improve on certain shortcomings. The province currently has more than 650 offshore fishing vessels assigned to four fishing ports, but the number of docked vessels is low.

On the other hand, the fishing output controlled through these four ports only accounts for 30 to 40% of the total fishing output in the province. Therre is a possibility that remaining output are shipped to other provinces or ports and estuaries. The local government is therefore required to reinforce its control over this issue.

The provincial Border Guard is recommended to maintain strict control over all fishing vessels traveling through the province to effectively manage the nautical activities in the area. Phu Yen province has had an excellent record of preventing its fishing vessels from violating foreign waters in the past. The province aims to continue strengthening its effort in fishing vessel managment.

The inspection conducted by Directorate of Fisheries has revealed a high number of fishing vessels  losing connection to the vessel monitoring system. The local competent forces were urged to quickly identify and sanction violating vessels.

"Phu Yen has implemented many tasks and solutions against IUU fishing and achieved relative success. However, in order to achieve the goals under Decision 81 by the Prime Minister, the province needs to improve its resources, facilities, equipment and establish logical solutions well-suited to the tasks," said Mr. Nguyen Quang Hung.

Phu Yen is anticipating an inspection team from the EC

According to Mr. Nguyen Quang Hung, the EC inspection team is planning to visit Vietnam from May 24 to May 31 and perform an evaluation the execution of anti-IUU measures in Phu Yen province.

Phu Yen was selected as the subject of the inspection due to its high volume of tuna and swordfish exports to the EU market. In preparation to welcome the EC delegation, Deputy Director Nguyen Quang Hung suggested Phu Yen Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and related units implement various governmental documents on the "Action Plan against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing".

Fishing ports were urged to review all of their records as well as on-site law enforcement activities. These records must be transparent and accessible so that they can be provided to the EC inspection team at a moment's notice. Furthermore, local ports need to review their fishing output to the wharf, vessels traveling through the port, fishing log, inspection and control activities at the port.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Hung said that, among the four groups of EC recommendations, Vietnamese vessels' violation of foreign waters is considered a serious issue. Any fishing vessels violating in foreign waters will obstruct Vietnam's effort in removing the "yellow card".

However, fishing vessels in several province still violate foreign waters un detected. The Prime Minister has thus directed local governments to suspend operations of all fishing vessels violating foreign waters by June 30, 2023.

Provinces should strictly handle their violating fishing vessels in accordance with the law; strengthen control of fishing vessels immediately from the time of departure; strengthen patrol and control at sea.

The Border Guard, Fisheries Surveillance, Coast Guard, and Navy must constantly monitor the sea, especially the neighbouring areas to promptly spot and prevent signs of violation. These tasks will contribute to helping Vietnam remove the EC's yellow card.