Removing IUU yellow card: Saying no to perfunctory actions

A decade of offshore fishing without installing seaway surveillance equipment

On November 11, a working group led by Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development inspected and collaborated with Ha Tinh province on the implementation of measures to remove the IUU "yellow card", as well as livestock production and disease prevention by the end of this year.

According to the Ha Tinh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the province has 110 fishing vessels with a length of 15 meters, including 13 vessels with a length of 24 meters and 97 vessels with a length of 15 to 24 meters.

Ha Tinh has renovated its whole coastal station to guarantee constant communication with fishing vessels in order to monitor their offshore operations. Fishing vessels with a maximum length of more than 15 meters receive 70% funding for each time they purchase seaway surveillance equipment.

"A total of 100 out of 110 fishing vessels have been equipped with Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS), bringing the total to 91 percent. The other ships lack the system due to the extended docking duration or standstill, and the ship owners are unaware of the regulation," Mr. Nguyen Cong Hoang, head of the Subdepartment of Fisheries, explained.

The management board of Ha Tinh fishing port also often supervises the unloading of goods via the port. Fishermen have also been careful in recording their catches and submitting them on time to the fishing port, although the quality of the exploitation records is still poor.

Ha Tinh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development elaborated that while the province does not have vessels fishing in foreign waters, the number of vessels operating on Ha Tinh sea from neighboring provinces such as Thanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, and Nghe An, among others, is quite large, making illegal fishing inevitable and difficult to manage.

The obstacles that the locality is addressing are that the numbering of fishing vessels is asynchronous and incompatible with the requirements, as a result of the local authorities not closely monitoring and instructing ship owners.

Since the beginning of the year, the Sub-Department of Fisheries has arranged over 20 inspections, patrols, and controls of fishing vessels operating on the sea, in conjunction with the Fisheries Surveillance Force, the Border Guard, and local authorities. 45 infractions have been identified and are being prosecuted with an administrative punishment of more than VND 600 million.

The majority of fishing vessel offenses are recurrent, such as the absence of fishing vessel records, the absence of number plates, the absence of equipment or the absence of cruise monitoring signals; the use of prohibited chemicals and fishing nets to exploit seafood...

Currently, the primary issue facing Ha Tinh is the presence of fishing boats along the shore. While punishments exist, they are insufficient to act as a warning. Additionally, because patrol and control vehicles and equipment are restricted, the area cannot be adequately investigated.

Building a sustainable fisheries industry

To develop a sustainable fisheries industry, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien stated that the harmonized and dramatic organization of measures to eradicate IUU "yellow card" fishing is a critical task for the fisheries sector countrywide and in Ha Tinh province in particular.

The ultimate objective is to develop a sustainable fisheries business that is sustained via exploitation, conservation, and culture.

"This is the third time the working group has visited Ha Tinh to conduct IUU checks. The province is not without problems. The Ministry will encourage Ha Tinh province to instruct troops to work together and fix weaknesses without wasting time, particularly seafood traceability and regulation of fishing vessels entering and exiting ports," highlighted the Deputy Minister.

The complete installation must be arranged, particularly for the vessel fleet that has not yet installed cruise monitoring technology. Simultaneously, do an assessment of the province's boat system, noting the number, name, and history of operation.

At the fishing port, the recording must be even more precise, not relying on the status report or record. To control ships more closely, the Ha Tinh fishing port management board should collaborate with fishing port management boards in neighboring provinces.

In the long term, to successfully carry out the mission of preventing and combatting illegal fishing, Ha Tinh requested that the Central Government provide the province with a fishing vessel with a carrying capacity of 1,000 CV to augment the patrol force's function. Allocate funding to assist local governments in developing capacity, completing fishing port infrastructure, and completing unfinished storm shelters.

Farming to assure Tet holiday supplies

Mr. Tran Hung, director of Ha Ting's Sub Department of Livestock Production and Animal Health, stated that while outbreaks of African swine fever and lumpy skin on cattle have occurred in recent years, the specialized industry and local authorities have quickly surrounded them, keeping them relatively stable. This is a rationale for farmers to re-herd and expand their herds when the requirements for disease safety are satisfied.

Ha Tinh has a total pig herd of 392,000 heads, including 46,000 sows, which is sufficient to supply breeds for re-herding efforts in the region. Production of live meat for slaughter exceeded 115 thousand tons, or the equivalent of 2020, fulfilling domestic and international market demand.

Along with pigs, the area has a sizable buffalo and cow herd, totaling more than 237,000 heads. 

Ha Tinh will continue to promote re-herding in farms and farms while strengthening inspection and supervision of livestock and poultry trade and slaughtering operations to minimize the danger of disease transmission.

The farms in important cattle regions like Vietnam Thach Ha, Cam Xuyen, Vu Quang, and Huong Son have also arranged a supply of items for the Tet market. Specifically, hoard pig breeds; fill barns to capacity. Even some camps have increased the size of their farms and farms.