Still letting fishing vessels violating IUU go to sea

Quang Ninh province's sea area has an area of about 10,600 km², with a coastline stretching over 250 km. The province has 5,556 fishing vessels, including 1,309 vessels having a length of less than 6 m and 3,517 vessels having a length of from 6 m to less than 12 m. From 12 m to under 15 m, there are 472 vessels, and from 15 m or more, there are 258 vessels.

Recently, the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 1697/UBND-NLN1 on strengthening the implementation of tasks and solutions to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the province.

Accordingly, the Chairman of the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee requested that departments, branches, units, and localities, based on their assigned tasks, focus on leading, directing, and taking drastic actions to strictly and fully implement the directives of the Central and local governments.

In addition to localities that perform well in fishing vessel management, such as Dam Ha and Van Don, there still exists a situation of "hot at the top, cold at the bottom" in handling violations in fishing, typically in Quang Yen town.

Quang Yen town's number of fishing vessels accounts for nearly half of the entire province's total number of fishing vessels, with over 2,600 vessels. Of which, 116 vessels (113 registered ones and 3 unregistered ones) have a length of 15 m or more, with offshore exploitation. Among them, 112 vessels have been granted exploitation licenses, including 100 vessels that are still valid and 12 vessels that have expired. The number of fishing vessels from 12 m to under 15 m is 284, including 279 officially registered vessels, 1 temporarily registered vessel, and 4 that are going through the registration process. Among them, 267 fishing vessels have been granted exploitation licenses, including 264 vessels that are still valid and 3 vessels that have expired.

The number of fishing vessels from 6 m to under 12 m is 1,207. Of which, 1,105 have been officially registered; 102 have been temporarily registered; and 1,160 have been licensed to operate and have committed to food safety. For fishing vessels under 6 m managed by communes and wards, there are 939 vessels.

Recently, a delegation from the Quang Ninh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development came to inspect the work of fishing vessel management at Giang wharf, located in Tan An ward and Hoang Tan commune, Quang Yen town. The results of the inspection show that the situation of "unnumbered" fishing vessels and vessels using strictly prohibited fishing methods still exists.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has requested that the Economics Department of Quang Yen Town quickly handle violations. However, when the inspection delegation of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development returned to this area, the violating vessels were still blatantly lying at the wharf.

Notably, since the beginning of 2024, interdisciplinary units have handled 68 cases of Quang Yen's fishing vessels violating IUU. Of which, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development handled 56 cases, and the Border Guard handled 12 cases. However, Quang Yen town has not yet had a record of sanctioning any fishing vessel. Explaining the above-mentioned situation, the representative of the Economics Department of Quang Yen Town said, "There is no one to work.".

According to the leader of the Quang Ninh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the reason why the violating vessels are still operating is that the heads of the Party Committee and governments at all levels of some localities, especially Quang Yen town, have not really paid proper attention to leadership, direction, resource allocation, inspection, and supervision, leading to slow implementation results.

The Quang Ninh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development requires Quang Yen town to strictly control fishing vessels leaving and entering wharfs at established control points. Resolutely do not allow fishing vessels to participate in fishing activities at sea if they do not comply with regulations. Especially, check cruise monitoring equipment to ensure operating status before allowing fishing vessels to leave the wharf to operate at sea. Review and make a list of fishing vessels violating IUU fishing; strengthen monitoring, inspection, and supervision to promptly detect and handle.