Khanh Hoa tightens management of fishing vessels

Closely monitor the fishing fleet

These days, present at Hon Ro fishing port, Phuoc Dong commune (Nha Trang city), we witness fishing boats bustling in and out of the wharf.

To strictly manage the fishing fleet, one of the important recommendations of the European Commission (EC) is related to removing the "yellow card" IUU (illegal, unreported and unreported fishing). Mr. Nguyen Van Ba, Head of Hon Ro Fishing Port Management Board said: Recently, the unit coordinates with the Hon Ro Fisheries Inspection, Supervision and Control Representative Office and the Border Guard Station to check the process of leaving and docking at the port. Resolutely not allow fishing vessels to depart for exploitation that does not ensure records, papers and equipment according to regulations.

Mr Le Van Hoan, Deputy Director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, added that to strictly manage fishing vessels, the province has conducted a review and updated the current location of fishing vessels that are no longer connecting to the VMS cruise monitoring service. At the same time, verify and provide additional statistics on ship owners moving their fishing grounds, regularly operating, and temporarily residing in localities outside the province.

“We have been strengthening inspection and supervision, determined not to handle disembarkation and administrative procedures for fishing vessels that do not meet IUU regulations. In addition, we are also continuing to monitor incoming and outgoing fishing vessels at sea border stations. This also applies to ships that have left port but have not returned to their locality", Mr Le Van Hoan shared.

As of February 2024, through review, Khanh Hoa province has 124 fishing vessels regularly operating outside the province. Specifically, Nha Trang City has 103 ships regularly operating in the provinces: Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai, Phu Yen, Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

Ninh Hoa town has 15 ships regularly operating in Kien Giang and Binh Thuan provinces, Cam Ranh City. There are 5 ships regularly operating in the provinces: Phu Yen, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan. Van Ninh district has 1 ship regularly operating in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. This list of fishing vessels has been sent by the functional forces of Khanh Hoa province to other provinces for coordination in exchanging information on the situation of fishing vessels for effective management.

Coordinate fishing vessel management

According to Khanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, to manage fishing vessels that regularly operate outside the province, Khanh Hoa has signed management coordination regulations with many provinces and coastal cities in the country, where this province's fishing vessels regularly operate.

Accordingly, Khanh Hoa province and other provinces and cities will discuss and notify the situation related to fishing vessels, ship owners, captains, and crew members from one locality operating in another locality and vice versa.

According to Mr. Le Van Hoan, information exchange issues include the number of fishing vessels in operation, results of management, registration, inspection, and exploitation licenses. This also includes installing cruise monitoring equipment and issuing food hygiene and safety certificates for fishing vessels. In addition, we also discussed how fishing vessels comply with regulations against IUU fishing to coordinate handling violations.

In addition, the localities that signed the regulations also coordinated and exchanged information related to the situation and results of handling violations of fishing vessels overstepping foreign waters and arrested by foreign countries. Cases related to natural disasters, accidents at sea, supporting fishermen or coordinating in verification to confirm and certify the origin of seafood from exploitation.

At the same time, provinces and cities also coordinate in inspecting and controlling fishing vessels and crew members. For example, strengthen inspection and control of local fishing vessels and crew members operating in their locality that are at risk of violating foreign waters.

Localities will also be responsible for propagating so that fishermen comply with the law in fishing and combat IUU fishing; promptly notify each other and coordinate to handle violating fishing vessels in waters bordering provinces and cities. Along with that, agree on the direction of the Border Guard Command of provinces and cities to do a good job of inspection and strictly controlling 100% of fishing vessels exporting and importing, controlling crew members; not allowing fishing vessels to depart for exploitation that do not ensure records, papers and equipment according to regulations...

Mr Le Van Hoan said that, to implement the province's coordination regulations, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and relevant agencies in the province has sent an official dispatch to the other Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Border Guard Command of coastal provinces and cities to coordinate and exchange information on the activities of this group of ships. This is considered one of the solutions that contribute to improving fleet management efficiency, contributing to removing the EC's "yellow card".