The docking area for fishing boats in An Hai commune of Ly Son district, Quang Ngai province (Photo: VNA) Quang Ngai (VNA) – The central coastalprovince of Quang Ngai has deployed tough measures to stop illegal, unreportedand unregulated (IUU) fishing in foreign waters, especially after the EuropeanCommission (EC) issued a “yellow card” warning to the country’s fishery sector.
Besides increasing communication campaigns forfishermen in coastal districts and communes, the province has enhancedsurveillance of offshore fishing boats and will revoke operation licences ofviolating fishermen and vessels.
Criminal punishment will be applied if shipowners deliberately repeat violations.
Le Bang, a fisherman from Tinh Khe commune,Quang Ngai city, said fishermen should catch fish in Vietnamese waters, addingthat they will lose all their property if arrested in foreign waters.
Nguyen Quoc Chinh, Chairman of An Hai fisherytrade union in Ly Son island district, said his union has raised fishermen’sawareness about the serious consequences of fishing illegally in foreign waters,including inspections on all of their aquatic products and even bans fromexporting.
Meanwhile, deputy head of the local seafooddepartment Phung Dinh Toan said the department has promulgated regulations ofthe Law on Fisheries 2017 for fishermen.
The EC issued a "yellow card" warningto Vietnam in September 2017 after the country failed to demonstrate sufficientprogress in the fight against IUU fishing.
On December 13, 2017, Prime Minister Nguyen XuanPhuc issued a directive on some urgent tasks following the EC’s warning.
The whole political system, from the central tolocal level, and fishermen of Vietnam have taken actions to fight IUU fishing.
There have been an array of measures, includingsupplementing anti-IUU fishing regulations, enforcing issued regulations,disseminating solutions to fishermen and relevant parties and enhancingcooperation with coastal and island countries to prevent IUU fishing.-VNA