Da Nang takes measures to fight IUU fishing - Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Da Nang (VNA) – The central city of Da Nang is stepping up thedissemination of legal regulations on offshore fishing activities to curbillegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in order to tackle theEuropean Commission’s IUU yellow card.
Dang Duy Hai, deputy head of the city’sFisheries Sub-department, said the municipal Department of Agriculture andRural Development has worked with relevant offices to instruct fishermen toconduct legal fishing by organising classes on relevant laws.
To date, seven classes have been held,attracting representatives from 20 export enterprises and nearly 400 fishermenwho are ship owners or captains.
However, Hai said that the declaration ofseafood origins is facing many difficulties, as some fishermen want to hidetheir fishing grounds and locations.
Stressing the importance of origindeclaration, Nguyen Lai, a representative from the city’s Tho Quang NavigationLock And Fishing Port Management Board, said the management board has takenmeasures to trace seafood origin and punish violators.
Since the beginning of this year, Tho Quangmarket has conducted 6,996 origin declarations on a total of 24,500 tonnes ofseafood of all kinds, Lai added.
[Vietnam to impose harsh punishments on illegal fishing]
Fisherman Nguyen Vu said that he has gotused to keeping track of his catches, because when the EU tightens regulationson businesses, businesses will tighten regulations on fishermen.
Therefore, if fishermen do not provide afishing diary, firms would not purchase their seafood, Vu said. He added thatthere should be closer links between fishermen, local authorities andbusinesses to facilitate the granting of certification for seafood catches.
In September 2017, the European Commission issueda yellow card warning Vietnam for failing to progress in fighting IUU fishing.
The EU will assess Vietnam’s efforts tofight IUU fishing in late April. The "yellow card" is followed by a"green card" if the problem is resolved or a "red card" ifit isn’t. A “red card” can lead to a trade ban on fishery products.
Together with Da Nang city, localities alongthe Vietnamese coast are exerting efforts to fight IUU fishing.-VNA
VNA
