A border guard officer examines papers of a fishing vessel off the coast of Tay Bien commune, An Bien district, Kien Giang province. (Photo: VNA) The letter particularly targets fishing vessel owners, executives of fishing, seafood purchasing and processing companies, captains, and fishermen in the Mekong Delta province.
The targeted groups are urged to promptly carry out the Government’s 180-day action plan against IUU fishing, implement the European Commission (EC)’s recommendations, and not to take fishing vessels to foreign waters for fishing. They are also urged to carry out all necessary administrative procedures before vessels leave for fishing trips, keep their vessel monitoring systems constantly operating during fishing trips, and adhere to regulations on vessels’ arrival at ports.
An inspection team of the EC is scheduled to return to Vietnam in April to examine Vietnam’s anti-IUU fishing moves. The country is striving to have the EC’s “yellow card” warning against this issue removed right in 2023, which depends much on fishermen’s cooperation.
Only one fishing vessel infringing foreign waters can also ruin efforts to persuade the EC to lift the “yellow card”, the letter emphasised./.
VNA
