The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued a dispatch requesting urgent implementation of strong measures to combat IUU fishing.

Localities need to allocate sufficient resources for relevant functional forces to carry out the task of combating IUU fishing; have appropriate mechanisms, policies, incentives, and rewards.

Khai thác IUU: Competent agencies in Ba Ria Vung Tau province popularise fisheries regulations to fishermen. (Photo: VNA)

Provinces and cities focus on directing the implementation of strong measures to prevent and put an end to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by fishing vessels and fishermen. (Source: VNA)

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has just issued a dispatch on urgently implementing strong measures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, preparing to work with the 4th Inspection Delegation of the European Commission (EC), sent to the Chairmen of the People's Committees of coastal provinces and centrally run cities.

The EC is expected to visit Vietnam for the 4th on-site inspection in October 2023. In order to prepare for receiving and working with the EC Inspection Delegation to achieve the best results and to be determined to remove the "yellow card" warning, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Standing Agency of the National Steering Committee on IUU) requests coastal provinces and centrally-run cities to focus on leadership and direction to resolutely and synchronously implement key and urgent tasks and solutions from now until October 2023.

Specifically, provinces and cities prioritize allocating sufficient resources, continuing to seriously and effectively implement the Prime Minister 's instructions in Decision No. 81/QD-TTg dated February 13, 2023 approving the "Action Plan against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, preparing to work with the 4th Inspection Delegation of the European Commission"; Decision No. 1077/QD-TTg dated September 14, 2022 approving the "Project on preventing and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing until 2025"; Official Dispatch No. 265/CD-TTg dated April 17, 2023 on "Focusing on removing difficulties and obstacles to promote production and consumption of agricultural products; implementing 3 National Target Programs; combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing".

Along with that is implementing the directives of the Head of the National Steering Committee on IUU; the direction and guidance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in documents, inspection results of the situation of combating IUU fishing in localities and other related directive documents; linking the responsibility of heads of Party committees, authorities at all levels and relevant functional forces with specific results of combating IUU fishing.

Provinces and cities focus on directing the implementation of strong measures to prevent and stop fishing vessels and fishermen from illegally exploiting seafood in foreign waters; investigate, verify, and thoroughly handle the situation of brokers and collusion to send fishing vessels and fishermen to illegally exploit seafood in foreign waters.

Regarding fishing vessel management, provinces and cities conduct a general inspection and review of the entire number of fishing vessels, grasp the current status of fishing vessels (number of registered, inspected, licensed; number of unregistered, uninspected, licensed or expired fishing vessels; fishing vessels operating outside the province; fishing vessels not yet installed with VMS...) to screen and classify to ensure monitoring and supervision of all activities of the fleet, and handle violations according to law; especially "3 no" fishing vessels.

Units strictly control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, fishing vessels leaving and entering ports at border posts and stations; carry out registration, inspection, issuance of fishing licenses, fully update fishing vessel data in the national fisheries database (VNFishbase); prevent and strictly handle unqualified fishing vessels, especially fishing vessels that do not comply with VMS regulations, participating in fishing activities.

Provinces and cities shall confirm and certify the traceability of exploited aquatic products to ensure legality; organize specialized inspections and examinations of enterprises importing exploited aquatic products for processing and export to the European market.

At the same time, strictly handle according to the provisions of the law on administrative and criminal matters for organizations and individuals who deliberately violate and legalize export shipment documents; ensure 100% of fishing vessels dock at designated ports, and monitor 100% of aquatic product output exploited locally.

Provinces and cities have directed law enforcement forces to coordinate in launching peak periods of patrolling, inspecting, controlling, and sanctioning administrative violations in the fisheries sector; especially focusing on strictly and thoroughly handling cases of illegal fishing in foreign waters and violations of VMS regulations...

Along with that, arrange sufficient resources (human resources, funding, equipment) for relevant local authorities to carry out the task of combating IUU fishing; arrange competent, qualified, responsible staff and have appropriate mechanisms, policies, incentives, and rewards.

Implementing the EC's inspection conclusion at the third inspection, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development requested Khanh Hoa and Ba Ria Vung Tau provinces and related localities to coordinate with the Ministry to investigate, verify, and strictly and thoroughly handle the case according to the provisions of law.

Localities regularly inspect, examine and seriously review and handle the responsibilities of organizations and individuals who do not fulfill their assigned duties and tasks. Before September 30, 2023, provinces and cities will report the results of the implementation of anti-IUU fishing to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (through the Department of Fisheries Surveillance) for synthesis and reporting to the Prime Minister, Head of the National Steering Committee on IUU.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also assigned the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development to preside over and coordinate with the Department of Fisheries, functional forces of the Ministries of National Defense, Public Security, Finance and relevant agencies to urgently investigate and verify suspected cases of smuggling and legalization of products from IUU fishing, and strictly and thoroughly handle violations according to the law.

The Department organizes specialized inspections and examinations of enterprises importing raw aquatic products for processing and exporting to the European market; strictly handles administrative and criminal laws against organizations and individuals who intentionally violate or legalize export shipment documents.

The Department of Fisheries shall preside over and coordinate with the Department of Fisheries Control and relevant agencies of ministries, branches and localities to develop a plan and organize the implementation of a "comprehensive general inspection" in 28 coastal provinces and centrally-run cities to screen, classify and handle "3 no" fishing vessels according to legal regulations.

The Department of Fisheries urgently completes procedures to submit to the Government for promulgation a Decree amending and supplementing Decree No. 26/2019/ND-CP dated March 8, 2019 and a Decree amending Decree No. 42/2019/ND-CP dated May 16, 2019 in August 2023.

The Fisheries Surveillance Department continues to advise on organizing working groups to inspect, urge, and guide the fight against IUU fishing in localities; preside over and coordinate with law enforcement forces of relevant ministries, branches, and localities to continue launching peak periods of patrolling, inspecting, controlling, and strictly and thoroughly punishing IUU fishing acts.

The Fisheries Control Department presides over and coordinates with relevant agencies of the Ministries of National Defense, Public Security, Foreign Affairs... to organize inter-sectoral working groups to work with host countries to arrest and handle Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermen to grasp the situation and investigate and thoroughly handle cases of illegal fishing.

The Ministry also assigned the Fisheries Surveillance Department to carefully prepare the content of the online working session with the EC in September 2023 to ensure the best results; develop a master plan to prepare for receiving and working with the 4th EC Inspection Delegation (expected in October 2023).

Source