Hanoi (VNA) - Localities nationwide are actively assisting fishermen in registering, inspecting, and licensing fishing vessels as part of efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and to have the European Commission’s “yellow card” against the fisheries sector removed.
According to Tran Dinh Luan, Director General of the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Circular No. 06/2024/TT-BNNPTNT serves as an important legal basis for localities to address existing challenges.
Localities must swiftly resolve chronic issues regarding unverified, unregistered, and unlicensed fishing vessels.
He underlined the need for localities to enhance awareness campaigns as well as inspections for all fishing vessels to promote registration procedures.
Le Ngoc Linh, head of the Sub-department of Fisheries of the central coastal province of Quang Binh said that effectively managing vessels aims to address the recommendations of the EC regarding the prevention of IUU fishing.
Pham Thi Na, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau said the agency has collaborated with relevant authorities to regularly conduct inspections to manage fishing vessels and ports.
Meanwhile, the border guard force in the central province of Quang Ngai has coordinated with Duc Pho town’s authority to set up teams to guide vessel owners in Sa Huynh fishing port to complete registration procedures.
Vietnam has been working hard to carry out the EC’s recommendations about IUU fishing prevention and control, towards the goal of removing the EC's “yellow card” warning.
The EC issued a “yellow card” for Vietnam in 2017. It is followed by a "green card" if the problem is resolved or a "red card" if it is not. A “red card” may lead to an ourtight ban on aquatic exports to the EU.
The EC is scheduled to come to Vietnam for the fifth inspection around September - October this year./.
