Farmers net tra fish in Tan Hoi commune of Vinh Long city (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee continued its eighth session in Hanoi on March 21, commenting on the draft revised law on fisheries.
Reporting on the necessity for law amendments, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said the 2003 Law on Fisheries have shown shortcomings and yet to match the quick development of Vietnam’s fisheries sector.
Meanwhile, some new regulations in relevant international conventions such as the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing also request the existing law be amended.
The draft revised law consists of eight chapters and 100 articles.
The NA’s Committee on Science, Technology and Environment, which conducted preliminary verification of the draft, echoed the view on the need for revisions so as to improve the effectiveness of fisheries-related policies and law and ensure the sector’s modern and sustainable development.
Many members of the NA Standing Committee stressed that fisheries are not an endless natural resource and must be protected and have a sustainable development strategy, especially amid the degradation of fishery resources in inland water bodies and coastal areas due to overexploitation, pollution, and climate change.
Other opinions underscored the necessity for policies on aquaculture and offshore fishing development associated with marine sovereignty, defence and security protection. More attention should also be paid to science-technology application in fishery activities.
A new chapter in the draft is Chapter 6 on the fisheries resources surveillance force, which comprises three articles. It regulates the functions, tasks, jurisdiction, and responsibility of the force and the force’s coordination in activities.
However, the organisation of the force’s apparatus was still debatable.
The NA Standing Committee is scheduled to convene the closing meeting of the eighth session on March 21 afternoon.-VNA
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