Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Quang Ngai (VNA) – Acting Director of the Department ofFisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen NgocOai has asked the central province of Quang Ngai to apply strong measures to endlocal fishermen’s violations in foreign waters.
At a meeting with provincial leaders on December 14, Oai asked QuangNgai to continue implementing Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s directions onpreventing illegal fishing and to popularise the directions among localfishermen.
The locality should join hands with ministries and sectors to bringVietnam out of the EU’s “yellow card” list, he said.
A report of the Quang Ngai People’s Committee showed that as of November2017, the province had 5,580 fishing vessels with total capacity of more than1,600 CV, over 1,300 of which often operated offshore. The vessels employ atotal of about 38,000 labourers.
As of December this year, 29 local fishing vessels had been interruptedby Chinese vessels while operating in waters around Vietnam’s Hoang Sa(Paracel) archipelago, three of which were sunken.
However, some illegal fishing cases have also been reported. NguyenQuang Trung, Vice Chairman of the Binh Son district People’s Committee, saidthe problem mostly arises due to fishermen’s lack of awareness.
Le Thanh Tan, Vice Chairman of the Duc Pho district People’s Committeepointed to shortcomings in communication work, as well as weak punishments.
A Quang Ngai city representative suggested urging fishermen to signcommitments not to violate fishing regulations, while designing policies toencourage them to operate in Hoang Sa waters and banning violated vessels fromfishing.-VNA
VNA
