The removal of the IUU yellow card would unclog export markets

The province of Soc Trang has a fleet of nearly 1,000 fishing vessels and produces over 70,000 tons of seafood annually. Tens of thousands of littoral households have long been associated with fishing and seafood harvesting activities at sea.

After five years of diligent efforts to implement measures to combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, the province of Soc Trang has made resolute efforts, assigning clear responsibilities to relevant units and localities. Utilizing vessel tracking equipment has proved to be an effective management tool for fishing vessels. It assists boat owners and fishermen in plainly identifying the fishing boundaries, thereby preventing instances of vessels entering foreign waters. The Provincial Fisheries Department of Soc Trang has also collaborated with the Department of Information and Communication to improve the organization and inspection of the connection status of these devices in order to identify the causes of connection failures. This necessitates prompt support and assistance in order to repair and resolve the problems for the local residents.

Currently, 100% of Soc Trang's fishing vessels longer than 15 meters are equipped with surveillance devices. Additionally, the provision of services is effectively and continuously guaranteed. In cases of proactive disconnection, the provincial authority is responsible for ensuring compliance with the law.

In 2022, the Soc Trang Provincial Fisheries Department fined eight individuals for knowingly disabling and tampering with vessel tracking equipment. Mr. Lu Tan Hoa, Deputy Director of the Provincial Fisheries Department, vowed to intensify inspections and enforcement through stringent measures in order to resolve the issue decisively. In addition, they strictly adhered to the directives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to improve information transmission between provinces in an effort to remove the "yellow card" issued by the European Commission (EC).

In addition, the unit conducted unannounced maritime patrols pertaining to licenses, records of exploitation, and the operational capabilities of vessels. EC recommendations were disseminated to the community through a variety of methods and interactive dialogues between industry leaders, shipowners, and fishermen.

The Soc Trang Border Guard Command directed its border posts, stations, and naval units to increase fishermen's cognizance of the law and the 2017 Fisheries Law, as well as to disseminate the law and the law to fishermen engaged in fishing activities. They conducted outreach at the residences of fishermen and mobilized vehicle owners and boat captains to sign pledges not to encroach on foreign waters.

Lieutenant Colonel Ha The Huu, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Soc Trang Border Guard Command, reported that coordination between units within the province has improved efforts to conduct fundamental investigations on high-risk vessels. They are determined to prevent vessels from entering or leaving the port without the required fishing licenses or equipment.

As many as 368 offshore fishing vessels in the province of Soc Trang have signed agreements not to violate foreign waters. One hundred percent of fishing vessels entering and exiting the port have declared and maintained fishing logbooks scrupulously.

In the past five years, nearly 1,300 certificates of origin for harvested seafood have been issued to fishermen, representing over 19,500 tons of various seafood varieties.

Following inspections by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) regarding existing issues and limitations in IUU fishing prevention, the province has issued directives to effectively implement the Prime Minister's "180-day action plan to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing."

Mr. Vuong Quoc Nam, Deputy Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, stated with enthusiasm that these efforts will contribute to the prompt elimination of the EC's "yellow card." In addition, this will help open the Vietnamese seafood export market to Europe, restore order to the fishing industry, and progressively modernize and sustainably develop the province's fishing industry.