Quang Nam works to stop boats from staying unconnected to vessel monitoring system

Border guard checks VMS of a fishing vessel (Photo: VNA)

Quang Nam (VNA) – The central province of Quang Nam has said that it is exerting efforts to prevent the state in which fishing boats losing vessel monitoring system (VMS) signals as it is an effective measure to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Specifically, local authorities, agencies, and associations regularly organise disseminations in diverse forms, and impose administrative punishment to prevent fishermen, captains, and ship owners from violating this regulation.

In the first three months of this year, 44 offshore fishing vessels were detected staying unconnected to the VMS.

Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Ngo Tan said that immediately after uncovering this situation, authorities of coastal localities and fisheries unions have worked with those ship owners to have a definitive solution to this situation.

Tan said that the department has assigned the provincial Sub-Department of Fisheries to urgently coordinate with network suppliers providing services on fishing vessels to find the cause for connection loss.

Once a fisherman is detected to intentionally disconnect the device, the fine will be up to 700 million VND (28,200 USD) for each case./.

VNA