Fishing vessels of Bac Lieu province dock at Ganh Hao Estuary in Dong Hai district. (Photo: VNA) With an annual catch of about 120,000tonnes of seafood, Bac Lieu identifies fisheries as a key sector. Given this,it has been ramping up the fight against IUU fishing and obtained manyencouraging results.
Notably, it hasn’t recorded anyfishing vessels infringing foreign waters since 2022.
To achieve such results, the provincehas engaged the entire political system in taking measures against IUU fishingto help remove the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” warning.
The provincial Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development has coordinated with other departments,sectors, and district-level administrations to increase awareness-raising communications,strictly manage vessels working offshore, and address shortcomings in the IUUfishing combat.
Nguyen Hoang Xuan, Director of the fisheries sub-department, said Bac Lieu hasbeen working to effectively enforce legal regulations on fisheries and dealwith weaknesses as recommended by the EC. The office has also workedwith relevant sectors to monitor and examine vessels while preventing and handlingviolations, especially infringements of foreign waters.
In particular, all the vehicles atleast 15 metres long have been equipped with vessel monitoring systems asregulated. Authorities have also assigned personnel of forces, including thefisheries sub-department, the fisheries inspection and control office, andborder guard posts, to keep watching around the clock to provide information forvessels, ask vessel owners to adhere to legal rules, and maintain contact andcoordination among forces.
To push ahead with implementing theEC’s recommendations in the time ahead, Chairman Thieu said the provincial People’s Committeehas ordered departments, sectors, and localities to continue seriouslyimplementing anti-IUU fishing directions issued by the Permanent member of theParty Central Committee’s Secretariat, the Prime Minister, the head of thenational steering committee for IUU fishing combat, and the provincial PartyCommittee and People’s Committee.
Aside from stronger communications,Bac Lieu will also conduct more patrols and examinations and stringently dealwith violations, he added.
Fighting IUU fishing and sustainably developing the fisheries sector will helpnot only raise Vietnam’s stature or implement international conventions on marineenvironment protection, but also safeguard the Fatherland’s maritimesovereignty, the official stressed./.
VNA
