Kien Giang intensifies IUU fishing combat hinh anh 1 Fishing boats at Hon Dat district in Kien Giang Province. (Photo:VNA)
Kien Giang (VNA) – The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang is drastically implementing measures to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing on December 31 at the latest as requested by the Prime Minister.

According to Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Nhan, the province has focused on implementing synchronous measures against IUU fishing. The local steering committee for IUU fishing is strengthening its examination and inspection activities.

Accordingly, it has sent personnel to visit each locality where violations were detected to address the matter timely and effectively. Units that failed to fulfill their tasks, especially the heads of localities whose ships have committed violations for many years without any changes, have been handled.

The committee has also worked with local authorities and competent agencies to launch communications campaigns to raise public awareness of anti-IUU fishing regulations.

Meanwhile, a hotline calling the top leaders at all levels from commune to province and heads of a number of relevant departments and agencies has been set up to promptly remove obstacles facing the implementation of related tasks.

Frequent patrols have been organised on Kien Giang waters and overlapping and undemarcated sea areas, while strict punishments have been imposed on violations of IUU fishing and on ship owners that have yet to install tracking devices for their vessels, turn off or remove this device when operating at sea, or cross the maritime boundary area.

The province has paid attention to raising public awareness of the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws regarding protecting and sustainably developing the fishery resources and ensuring sea and island security, order and safety. Local fishermen have also been facilitated to fish on legal fishing grounds./.
VNA