Southern coastal provinces crack down on IUU fishing

22/12/2023 20:36

Southern coastal provinces have launched a crackdown on fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, in a bid to carry out recommendations made by the European Commission (EC) during its fourth inspection, with the ultimate goal of having the "yellow card" warning lifted.

Southern coastal provinces crack down on IUU fishing ảnh 1

Fishing vessels in Kien Giang province (Photo: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – Southern coastal provinces have launched a crackdown on fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, in a bid to carry out recommendations made by the European Commission (EC) during its fourth inspection, with the ultimate goal of having the "yellow card" warning lifted.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said since early 2023, fishing vessels violating foreign waters have been mostly from the provinces of Kien Giang, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Ca Mau, Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa and Tien Giang. Therefore, they need to establish a close coordination in the management of offshore fishing vessels.

Vice Chairman of the Ben Tre provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Minh Canh said that defining fisheries as a spearhead economic sector, Ben Tre has paid great attention to switching traditional fisheries to responsible and sustainable fisheries.

It has built a communications programme on IUU fishing prevention and control, while setting up a steering committee for IUU fishing prevention and control in 2017 with annual revision and elevation of the work.

Canh said that so far, Ben Tre has signed a coordination agreement with eight coastal localities in fishing boat management, as well as collaboration deals with the Coast Guard Regions 3 and 4 on IUU fishing prevention and control.

As a result, local fishermen's abiding by fisheries regulations has been greatly improved, while all fishing vessels have installed the vessel monitoring system (VMS) and strictly follow procedures in vessel registration, fisheries exploitation and operation recording.

In Binh Thuan, competent agencies have handled 366 cases of violating fishing regulations and imposed fines worth nearly 3.5 billion VND (144,370 USD) since the beginning of this year.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to promptly finalise and submit amended decrees on following EC’s recommendations to the Government./.