Da Nang (VNA) – Alongside efforts to build a modern and sustainable fisheries sector, the central city of Da Nang is stepping up measures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, combining enforcement with patrols, maritime sovereignty protection, anti-smuggling operations and search and rescue.
The city’s authorities are tightening inspections and controls to prevent fishing vessels from violating IUU regulations, particularly in foreign waters, as part of efforts to help Vietnam have the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.
Da Nang currently has more than 4,100 fishing vessels of various types, including over 1,200 vessels capable of conducting long offshore trips. All vessels measuring 21 metres or longer are subject to inspections to ensure compliance with the Fisheries Law, with authorities having largely eliminated the so-called “three-no” vessels, including no registration, no fishing licences and no registration certificates.
Colonel Tran Tien Hien, Commander of the Da Nang Border Guard Command, said combating IUU fishing is a regular political task of the force. Border Guard stations along the coast have inspected and controlled 100% of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports. Vessels lacking required administrative documents or failing to transmit legally required vessel monitoring system (VMS) signals are not permitted to enter or leave ports. The Border Guards have also closely combined IUU enforcement with maritime patrols and sovereignty protection.
The Da Nang Border Guard Command has launched intensive patrol and inspection campaigns in coordination with relevant agencies and strictly penalised IUU violations. It has also adopted preventive measures to detect and stop violations at an early stage and from afar, particularly to prevent local fishing vessels from illegally operating in foreign waters.
Hien said 100% of local fishing vessels have now completed registration and inspection procedures, installed vessel monitoring systems and had their information updated in the national fisheries database VNfishbase.
Colonel Le Huy, Political Commissar of Coast Guard Region 2 Command, said the force has strengthened IUU enforcement at sea by maintaining round-the-clock operations and closely monitoring fishing activities.
The force has monitored 100% of fishing vessels operating in waters bordering neighbouring countries in an effort to prevent Vietnamese vessels from crossing into foreign waters to illegally fish or trade seafood.
Alongside inspections and patrols, the force has stepped up communications to raise fishermen’s awareness of sustainable fisheries development and IUU regulations. It has regularly used communication systems installed on fishing vessels to disseminate information, monitored thousands of fishing vessels through VMS, distributed national flags and provided fishermen with information leaflets on fisheries regulations.
The efforts form part of Vietnam’s broader endeavours to have the European Commission’s “yellow card” removed and promote a modern, sustainable and law-abiding fisheries sector./.
