Quang Nam (VNA) – Combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a crucial and long-term task which needs to continue, with the active participation of the whole political system and people of all classes, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said on June 19.
While inspecting the implementation of anti-IUU fishing regulations in the central province of Quang Nam, the Deputy Minster said the province has made many positive and remarkable changes in the fight against IUU fishing, but there is still much work to do to implement the European Commission (EC) ’s relevant recommendations.
The delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development worked with Quang Nam province on the management and control of vessels and the implementation of legal regulations on combating IUU fishing. At Tam Quang fishing port in Nui Thanh district, the delegation directly checked the dossiers and procedures for entry and exit, traced the origin and output of aquatic products, and inspected the maintenance of vehicle monitoring system (VMS) connection by fishermen when operating at sea.
Quang Nam has not had any fishing vessels violating foreign waters in the past few years, but the risk still exists. Therefore, more drastic measures are needed, Tien said.
Acting Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Ho Quang Buu said that the province currently has 2,116 registered fishing vessels. The fight against IUU fishing in the province has achieved many important and positive results.
In order to soon remove the EC’s "yellow card", Quang Nam province continues to make fishermen aware of the need to strictly comply with legal regulations on fishing and purchasing seafood, strictly inspect and resolutely handle any cases of loss of VMS connection.
The province has requested VMS providers must be responsible for directly verifying the status of the equipment at the fishing vessel to serve as a basis for the authorities to handle violations./.
