Quang Ninh's efforts to remove IUU 'yellow card'

Efforts to remove 'yellow card'

Quang Ninh has a large fishing ground of 6,000km2, over 250km of coastal road, 2,077 large and small islands with thousands of rare and precious marine species, along with a geo-economics and politics advantages... creating great potential and strength in the marine economic development strategy in fisheries.

Previously, on October 23, 2017, the European Commission (EC) issued a "yellow card" warning to the Vietnamese seafood sector for violating IUU regulations (illegal, unreported, unreported fishing). In order to remove the "yellow card" issued by the EC, over the past 4 years, along with coastal localities in the country, Quang Ninh has been taking drastic actions against illegal, unreported and unreported fishing. 

Specifically, Quang Ninh has synchronously and drastically implemented solutions, linking the development of fisheries economy with combating illegal fishing. By now, the province has completed the installation of cruise monitoring equipment and granted fishing licenses to 185/209 fishing vessels over 15m in length (reaching 88.5%); inspected, appraised and granted food safety certificates to 199/209 fishing vessels over 15m in length (reaching 95.2%).

To strengthen supervision, Quang Ninh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has established a representative office, inspecting and controlling fisheries at Cai Rong port. In order to coordinate with Cai Rong Border Guard officers, the Waterway Police are on duty 24/7 to inspect and control fishing vessels, issue samples and directly instruct captains of the fishing vessels to record fishing, report on fishing, monitor the output of aquatic products unloading through Cai Rong port.

Since the beginning of 2021, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has controlled 1,992 rounds of fishing vessels with the largest length of over 15m docking and leaving at Cai Rong port, of which 941 counts of docking, 1,051 counts of fishing vessels leaving the port; seafood output through the port is 2,464 tons, mainly fish, squid, shrimp; collected 891 fishing diaries, aquatic products purchasing diaries.

Thanks to drastic actions, since 2018, Quang Ninh has no fishing vessels violating in foreign waters; detected 5,722 cases of violations on exploitation and protection of aquatic resources in Quang Ninh waters; fined 5,686 cases, collected and paid nearly 41.7 billion VND to the state budget; confiscated and destroyed 34 fishing vessels, handled and relocated 14 rafts and 4 illegal aquaculture establishments.

In addition, functional forces organized to prevent and drive off 469 fishing vessels and rafts of foreign fishermen who violated sovereignty and illegally fished. In January 2022, detected and handled 98 violations, collected fines and paid 0.39 billion VND to the state budget; confiscated and destroyed 03 sets of stimulators; 180m inflatable tube, 3 diving suits.

International cooperation to overcome difficulties

Although Quang Ninh province has taken many measures to improve the situation as well as efforts to remove the IUU "yellow card". However, there are still many difficulties that cannot be solved in a short time such as the management of fishing vessels with a length of 6-15m, many fishing vessels have not been granted fishing permits; The sea surface area is large, but the patrol force is thin, so it is not possible to control the fishery output. In addition, Quang Ninh does not have a fishing port in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In order to quickly overcome the above limitations, Quang Ninh aimed towards international cooperation, specifically with the US side. Accordingly, on March 3, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development worked with the Directorate of Fisheries and the US Mission on a number of issues related to IUU law enforcement - combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in Quang Ninh province.

At the meeting, Mr. Ngo Tat Thang, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, expressed his wish to cooperate with the US in assisting Quang Ninh to remove the IUU "yellow card", especially in raising fisheries law enforcement capacity.

Specifically, the Department proposed the US to support a patrol boat with a capacity of 1500 CV to serve the control and prevention of illegal acts in the exploitation and protection of available water resources in the provincial coastal areas, in particular, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing violations. Support professional training, fishery control for the team of law enforcement officers at sea from provincial to local levels; support the establishment of Co To - Dao Tran Marine Protected Area (funding to build facilities for management and operation...).

On the side of the US delegation, Mr. Charles Dushan Miller (Senior Maritime Program Advisor, US Coast Guard) appreciated the efforts of Quang Ninh province in implementing IUU. At the same time, Mr. Miller suggested the province continue to pay attention and strongly implement measures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in order to maintain, conserve and promote the value of aquatic resources and marine biodiversity.

At the end of the working session, in the spirit of exchange and desire to cooperate and connect, the parties have agreed on ideas and will proceed to implement in the near future. Overcoming IUU and completing the removal of the "yellow card" is a condition for the country and Quang Ninh particularly, to develop responsible, sustainable, high-value fisheries, benefits for the people and fishery economy growth. First of all, domestic seafood is not restricted from exporting to the European Union and continues to enjoy the seafood incentives prescribed by the EC, including tax incentives.

In the near future, Quang Ninh will invest and set up 10 control points for fishing vessels in 9 localities in the province to recover the fishing logs of 100% of fishing vessels docked at wharfs, ports and complete the project on building a regional storm shelter anchorage area in combination with a class I fishing port in Van Don district.