Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The Vietnam-China agreementon fishery cooperation in the Gulf of Tonkin expired on June 30, according tothe Directorate of Fisheries.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development(MARD) therefore sent document 4829/BNN-TCTS on July 20 to People’s Committees incoastal cities and provinces regarding the management of fishing activities inthe Gulf.
The document stated that the agreement, signed onDecember 25, 2000, took effect from June 30, 2004 to June 30, 2019, and was thenextended to June 30, 2020, as agreed by the two governments.
To ensure normal fishing activities in the Gulf whilethe two countries negotiate in the time ahead, MARD has asked the People’sCommittees of coastal cities and provinces to instruct relevant agencies toinform fishermen about the expiry of the agreement.
The common fishing zone and the buffer zone for smallfishing boats, which were established in line with the agreement, are also nolonger valid. Competent agencies of both sides will manage the operation offishing boats in the Gulf in accordance with the delimited line as defined inArticle 2 of the agreement on the delimitation of the territorial seas,exclusive economic zones, and continental shelves in the Gulf of Tonkin betweenVietnam and China.
The localities were asked to instruct fishermen tomaintain normal activities within Vietnam’s waters, head to sea in groups tosupport each other, and swiftly report violations by foreign fishing boats inVietnam’s waters to relevant agencies.
Central and local competent agencies, particularlythose in cities and provinces along the coast of the Gulf, need to intensifyinspections of fishing vessels at sea and report emerging incidents via thehotline of the Vietnam fisheries resource surveillance department, at 024 62 737323./.
VNA
