As many as 103 fishing teams have been established in the southern coastal province of Phu Yen to improve safety at sea, with the participation of 787 fishing vessels and nearly 7,000 fishermen.

The model has been implemented by the provincial Border Guard in coordination with 27 coastal communes and wards in the locality since 2005. Initially, four teams with 28 vessels were set up.

The teams, with the majority operating offshore, account for 11 percent of the existing fishing vessels in the province.

Member of the teams are educated by the border guard stations on the Law on the National Borders, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Government’s declaration on territorial sea, contiguous zone, special economic zone and the continental shelf of Vietnam , thus raising their awareness of regulations on the exploitation of seafood at sea.

Since 2011, the teams have been assisted with nearly 64 billion VND to install 120 sets of satellite positioning equipment using Movimar technology to help them update weather conditions, while enabling authorised agencies to monitor the sea route of the vessels, their fishing grounds and give timely support to boats in distress at sea.

Over the past three years, the teams have taken part in 254 rescue operations, including assisting four foreign ships.

In the most recent case, the PY 90144 TS tuna fishing vessel captained by Luong Cong Xuyen from Phu Dong ward, Tuy Hoa city, saved four Filipino fishermen stranded at sea for days on January 23.

The Filipino fishermen were taken to the mainland safe and sound. They were given medical care, food and accommodation until returning to their homeland in early May.-VNA