Practical and actionable measures are needed to combat IUU

On the morning of August 1, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien led a delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to inspect IUU fishing activities and the situation of animal disease prevention in Hai Phong City.

During the IUU inspection, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s delegation thoroughly reviewed the port's recent activities, checked records, fishing logs, control of fishing vessels, fishing output, and penalties for violations, as well as addressing previously identified issues.

In a subsequent meeting with the Hai Phong City People's Committee, representatives pointed out errors and issues that needed correction to ensure the locality could address them effectively.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien praised Hai Phong's decisive actions against IUU fishing but emphasized that more decisive efforts are needed to make significant improvements and resolve existing shortcomings.

Currently, the regulatory framework for combating IUU fishing is complete, and localities have been directed to implement tasks as required, with numerous instructions from the government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. However, violations by fishing vessels persist, and local implementation is still flawed, with inadequate administrative penalty enforcement.

"Combating IUU fishing is centrally coordinated, but the execution falls to the localities. Hai Phong must mobilize its resources effectively to meet the required tasks. Detailed, practical, and clear action is necessary for effectiveness. I hope that after this meeting, there will be noticeable improvements compared to previous inspections", the Deputy Minister emphasized.

On the local side, following the candid and constructive feedback from the delegation, Mr. Nguyen Duc Tho, Vice Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee, stated that they have listened, noted, and fully absorbed the comments.

Relevant departments and localities have been proactive and diligent in implementing measures to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. They have established and reinforced teams dedicated to tackling illegal fishing activities.

However, some challenges remain, including specialized expertise, limited personnel, job positions, and the inadequacy of policies and incentives for fisheries inspectors on vessels, which have not yet encouraged worker retention.

The handling of vessels losing VMS connection, controlling seafood production through ports, collecting fishing logs, and reporting catches and purchases have not reached high compliance rates. Notably, issues with VMS connection loss and inadequate feedback from VMS equipment providers have impacted verification and enforcement efforts as well as fishermen's operations.

Since the beginning of 2024, authorities have handled 102 administrative violations, with a total fine exceeding VND 1.2 billion. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has dealt with 54 cases, the Border Guard Command with 41 cases, and district-level People's Committees with 7 cases. Notably, Thuy Nguyen District Police have prosecuted one case involving the use of false documents, and the Border Guard Command has prosecuted one case related to the use of explosives in fishing.