Prime Minister: Deploy '180 days of action' against IUU fishing

At an online conference with 28 coastal provinces and cities on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing on the afternoon of December 1, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh noted the incident. The efforts and efforts of ministries, branches, and localities have organized the implementation of tasks and solutions to combat IUU fishing, removing the "yellow card" warning over the past.

However, the Prime Minister frankly said that, in general, there are still many shortcomings, which are slow to be overcome, have not achieved the set targets, and have not met the requirements to remove the "yellow card" warning of the EC.

According to the Prime Minister, the shortcomings and limitations in combating IUU fishing are caused not only by people's awareness but also by the lack of spirit and responsibility of a part of organizations and individuals who have not fulfilled their duties and tasks assigned. The shortcomings and limitations have been slow to be overcome in many localities due to the lack of decisiveness in leadership, direction, and administration of the heads of branches and levels, lack of proper attention, and lack of inspection and inspection and supervision; In many places, there are no long-term solutions to create livelihoods for people...

"It must be recognized that combating IUU fishing is not only a form of coping, but for the sake of the nation, the interests of the people, preserving the country's image, implementing international commitments, affirming Vietnam is a responsible member to the international community, including protecting the marine environment and marine ecosystem," the Prime Minister emphasized.

Accordingly, the Prime Minister requested ministries and branches to coordinate with localities to review overall technical and technological measures to combat IUU, adjust regulations to suit the situation, review the fishing workforce, classify objects, create livelihoods, change jobs for people, and reduce the fishing force.

The Prime Minister also requested to study and restructure fishermen's loans to continue implementing administrative handling measures for IUU acts. If they violate the criminal law, they must firmly handle them;

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall coordinate with ministries, branches, and localities to review decrees, circulars, regulations, and legal documents to detect obstacles and loopholes for appropriate and realistic adjustments. In particular, it is necessary to strengthen close coordination to implement anti-IUU fishing;

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to advocate for international sharing in this matter because Vietnam is a developing country with an economy in transition; The Ministry of Science and Technology guides people to use technological equipment in mining activities; Businesses need to cooperate with people to expand markets and create livelihoods; The State Bank pays special attention to and directs the handling of debt freezing, debt rescheduling, and debt restructuring issues; For fishermen, it is necessary to raise awareness, create opportunities for fulfilling obligations, create jobs and long-term livelihoods.

"Our Party and State have no other purpose than to bring independence, freedom, and happiness to the people, for the sake of the nation and nation, for the sake of rich people, a strong country, a strong and prosperous country. Therefore, each ministry, branch, locality, and each cadre must work with all their heart, avoiding superficial, formal, bureaucratic diseases, and not beating drums," the Prime Minister pointed out.

The Prime Minister requested to urgently develop a 180-day program and action plan to implement the EC's recommendations for removing the IUU "yellow card". In which, the plan must clearly and specifically state the responsibilities of the Government, ministries, branches, provinces, cities, districts, communes and each individual; The plan must be quantified so that all agencies and people can understand, do, monitor, inspect, and evaluate.

Besides, developing a long-term strategy in combating IUU fishing by assessing the situation of exploitation and farming; formulating plans; creating sustainable livelihoods, changing careers for people...

The documents must be legal to be implemented synchronously from the central to the grassroots level; popular to the people; organize effective implementation; monthly to review the work that has been done, not done and learn from experience, promote work for the next time.

At the conference, the delegates said that the awareness of a part of the people is still limited; thought for immediate benefit is still high, while our sanctions are still low; regulations on mounting cruise monitoring still have loopholes; the control of fishing activities of fishermen is difficult due to the wide range of activities... Besides, the delegates proposed strengthening patrolling and law enforcement, localities to coordinate to control and handle wrongful fishermen; businesses are determined not to buy seafood products due to illegal fishing, not according to regulations...