Positive changes in combating IUU exploitation in Khanh Hoa Province

100% of fishing vessels entering and leaving the port are inspected and controlled

According to Khanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, from the beginning of 2024 until now, the province has actively and drastically implemented many solutions to combat IUU exploitation and achieved some positive results. Specifically, a plan to deploy the fight against IUU exploitation in 2024 has been issued, and more than 80 documents have been issued directing units to implement tasks and solutions to combat IUU fishing, etc.

Direction, administration work, and propaganda information on combating IUU fishing are carried out continuously and effectively. The management, review, and updating of fishing vessel registration, inspection, and issuance of exploitation licenses are strictly implemented.

All 3,177 fishing boats of the province have been registered (100%), 3,116 ships have been licensed to exploit fishery (98%), 648/650 fishing vessels with a length of 15m or more have installed cruise monitoring equipment, 639/650 fishing vessels with a length of 15m or more are certified for food safety.

100% of fishing vessels entering and leaving the port are inspected and controlled. Seafood output is monitored through ports, and the origin of exploited seafood is traced. Regulations implement penalties for violating fishing vessels.

Management forces such as the fisheries department, border guards, and local authorities regularly coordinate to open peak periods to patrol, inspect, handle, and prevent violations of IUU fishing in the coastal areas of Nha Trang, Cam Ranh, Ninh Hoa, Van Ninh.

From the beginning of 2024 until now, the Border Guard Command of Khanh Hoa province has sanctioned seven administrative violations in the fisheries sector, with a fine of VND 37.8 million.

Drastically deploy measures during two peak months

Mr. Le Van Hoan, Deputy Director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the work against IUU fishing activities in the province still needs some help because many fishing vessels regularly move fishing grounds and operate outside the province. Some fishing vessels stopped connecting cruise monitoring equipment.

In addition, implementing fleet management and traceability of exploited seafood through electronic seafood traceability software (eCDT application) faces many difficulties.

From 2023 until now, three Khanh Hoa fishing boats and 28 crew members have been arrested by Malaysian forces.

Mr. Hoan said that agencies and units of the province are currently focusing on strictly implementing tasks according to the Plan to combat IUU fishing. The Border Guard continues to thoroughly handle cases of fishing vessels losing connection and resolutely not handle disembarkation procedures for any unqualified fishing vessels.

Chairman of the People's Committees of communes, wards, and towns with fishing boats whose fishing licenses have expired encourage fishing boat owners to carry out administrative procedures to extend their fishing licenses urgently.

District and commune management units continue to propagate and mobilize "3 no" fishing vessel owners to register according to the Regulations in Circular No. 06/TT-BNNPTNT dated May 6, 2024, of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

Mr. Tran Hoa Nam, Vice Chairman of Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, said that the Provincial People's Committee has directed coastal agencies, units, and localities to drastically implement measures against IUU fishing in the two peak months (2024, July and August), to maintain the achieved results, ensuring that IUU violations do not arise in the future.

Khanh Hoa Province commits to strictly managing issues related to "3 no" fishing vessels, strictly controlling fishing vessels regularly operating in foreign provinces, and verifying and handling cases of fishing vessels losing connection to monitoring equipment close to the itinerary.

The province is also considering developing a policy to support satellite subscription fees for ship owners to maintain a connection to cruise monitoring equipment and trace the origin of exploited seafood via the eCDT application.

In September 2024, the EC inspection team is expected to inspect Vietnam's anti-IUU activities, the 5th inspection by the EU side since giving Vietnam a yellow card warning for violating IUU regulations. Leaders of the Party, State, and the entire political system of Vietnam are all interested in this event.

As the focal point for information and in charge of implementing anti-IUU measures, MARD is closely coordinating with localities to effectively implement Directive No. 32-CT/TW of the Secretariat, and Resolution 52 of the Government on combating IUU.