Quang Ninh strictly handles fishing vessels violating fishing activities

Mr. Vu Van Dien, Vice Chairman of Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, has just chaired a face-to-face meeting with nine provincial coastal localities to discuss solutions to prevent and combat illegal fishing, report not as specified.

According to the report of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quang Ninh province, through the review, there are 6,005 fishing boats in the region, including 1,431 fishing vessels with a length of less than 6m managed by the Commune People's Committee; 3,768 fishing vessels with a length of between 6 meters and under 12 meters managed by the district-level People's Committee, operating in coastal areas; 806 fishing vessels from 12 meters or more are governed by the provincial level. Currently, 4,574 fishing vessels with a length of 6m or more are updated data on Vnfishbase.

Before 2018, illegal fishing activities in the province were quite common, especially using electric jacks, bagua cages, rake pounding, fishing in the wrong areas, and fishing in prohibited areas (core area of Ha Long Bay) has affected aquatic resources and ecological environment in sea area's Quang Ninh.

Quang Ninh province has issued many Directives, Regulations, and Decisions on strengthening the management of exploitation, protection, and development of aquatic resources; supporting the management work associated with the responsibility of the head; strictly handling violations in exploitation and conservation of marine resources; drastic relocation of farming facilities outside the planning, conversion of floating materials; signed a program to coordinate with six provinces and cities in inspecting and controlling fishing vessels, fishery output and combating IUU fishing to protect aquatic resources sustainably.

Mr. Vu Van Dien suggested that localities require vehicle owners to have a fishing log of each fishing vessel; control signing and receipt of registered and declared vessel numbers; establish groups to manage the number of fishing boats residing in communes, wards, and townships; administrations of coastal communes are responsible for making sufficient and regular declarations about fishing vessels; strengthen propaganda and information to ship owners to comply with regulations on fishing; by August 30, 2023, must complete the registration, registration, and issuance of fishing licenses of all fishing vessels according to rules; strictly handle vessels violating the law on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

"After this meeting, the Provincial People's Committee will issue a document to direct and request the standing committees of 9 localities to have serious direction signs; strengthen propaganda and inspect the strict implementation of regulations of the Government and the province; functional branches to review and assign each agency or unit to convene and handle violating fishing vessels at the proposal of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Media agencies have strengthened propaganda and orientation for fishermen and fishing vehicles to observe sea fishing regulations strictly at sea.

From September 1, 2023, if fishermen and vehicle owners do not strictly comply with the registration, registration, and declaration according to regulations, the caught fishery products will be considered illegal, and their means and products will be confiscated products following regulations," Mr. Dien stated.

Previously, on August 5, the delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development led by Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien met with the People's Committee of Quang Ninh Province to implement the EC's recommendations on combating marine fishing illegal, undeclared, and unregulated (IUU) property, on fisheries infrastructure, production situation, and management of fisheries activities.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien emphasized that Quang Ninh Province needs to continue to mobilize all resources, join forces and unite with 27 provinces and cities nationwide to remove the yellow card for Vietnam's seafood industry in the program of working with the EC's inspection team scheduled in October 2023.

The Deputy Minister suggested that Quang Ninh province urgently overcome shortcomings and limitations on registration and registration of fishing vessels, fishing logs, connection of cruise monitoring, capacity to control output, and facilities infrastructure to ensure the implementation of anti-IUU regulations.

On August 8, the Ha Long City Police Investigation Agency issued a decision to prosecute the case and prosecute the accused against Vu Dinh Mien (owner of the fishing boat QN-1161-TS) for the crime of "destroying aquatic resources" under Article 242 of the Penal Code. Mr. Vu Dinh Mien has directed an employee on the ship to use the tools. It means the case of fish extermination on the vessels, including one battery pack, one electric exciter, and one fishing net connected by an electric wire.