Binh Thuan (VNA) - The south central province of Binh Thuan will intensify efforts to register all fishing vessels within this year, with strict punishment to be imposed on those which intentionally avoid registration, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Hai instructed at a meeting of the province's Steering Committee on Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing on December 16.
According to statistics of the provincial People's Committee, there were 2,804 "3 No's" fishing vessels (unregistered, unlicensed, and uninspected) in the province before Circular 06/2024/TT-BNNPTNT was issued, but with high resolve of all-level administrations and relevant agencies, 2,431 of them had been registered by December 13.
However, besides the remaining 291 unregistered vessels, the problem of vessels' monitoring devices losing connection at sea still continues, and over 1,000 vessels have yet to apply for or renew fishing permits.
Vice Chairman Hai also urged relevant authorities to tighten supervision of fishing vessels to prevent violations of foreign waters. He assigned the fishery sub-department to complete procedures to investigate and verify the causes of connection cuts along with due punishments of violations.
Acting director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Van Chien said the fishery sub-department has maintained 24/7 monitoring of fishing vessels operating at sea, particularly those operating near boundary lines, in order to timely warn and stop vessels from encroaching on foreign waters.
The provincial Border Guard Command has also kept close supervision of operating fishing vessels, and so far no local vessel has bên found to violate foreign waters.
Coastal localities in Vietnam are intensifying the fight against IUU fishing in order to have the EC's “yellow card” lifted. The EC issued the “yellow card” as a warning for Vietnam in this regard in 2017. The "yellow card" is followed by a "green card" if the problem is resolved or a "red card" if it is not. A “red card” may lead to a ban on aquatic exports to the EU./.
