As many as 103 fishing teams have been established in the southerncoastal province of Phu Yen to improve safety at sea, with theparticipation of 787 fishing vessels and nearly 7,000 fishermen.
The model has been implemented by the provincial Border Guard incoordination with 27 coastal communes and wards in the locality since2005. Initially, four teams with 28 vessels were set up.
The teams, with the majority operating offshore, account for 11 percent of the existing fishing vessels in the province.
Member of the teams are educated by the border guard stations on theLaw on the National Borders, the 1982 United Nations Convention on theLaw of the Sea, the Government’s declaration on territorial sea,contiguous zone, special economic zone and the continental shelf ofVietnam , thus raising their awareness of regulations on theexploitation of seafood at sea.
Since 2011, theteams have been assisted with nearly 64 billion VND to install 120 setsof satellite positioning equipment using Movimar technology to help themupdate weather conditions, while enabling authorised agencies tomonitor the sea route of the vessels, their fishing grounds and givetimely support to boats in distress at sea.
Over the past three years, the teams have taken part in 254 rescue operations, including assisting four foreign ships.
In the most recent case, the PY 90144 TS tuna fishing vessel captainedby Luong Cong Xuyen from Phu Dong ward, Tuy Hoa city, saved fourFilipino fishermen stranded at sea for days on January 23.
The Filipino fishermen were taken to the mainland safe and sound. Theywere given medical care, food and accommodation until returning totheir homeland in early May.-VNA