Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development goes directly to EU to find ways to remove IUU "yellow card"

SGGPO 09/19/2023 17:09

The Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has just informed that Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan has started a working trip to the EU from September 18 to September 23.

Minister Le Minh Hoan visited and worked with EC partners in Belgium on September 18.

In an effort to lobby the EU to remove the IUU "yellow card" for Vietnamese seafood before the European Commission (EC) IUU Inspection Delegation enters Vietnam to conduct the fourth inspection, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's working group led by Minister Le Minh Hoan visited and worked with relevant EC agencies in Brussels, Belgium from September 18 (European time).

During the working sessions with the Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries and the Directorate-General for Marine Affairs and Fisheries (under the European Commission), Minister Le Minh Hoan affirmed that combating IUU fishing is a key task of the Vietnamese seafood industry, not only for exporting to the EU but also helping to develop sustainable aquaculture and seafood exploitation, demonstrating Vietnam's responsibility and maintaining Vietnam's reputation in the international arena.

At the working sessions, Minister Le Minh Hoan also affirmed Vietnam's political determination to make the highest effort to push back and end IUU fishing, and the entire political system has actively participated.

Thanks to that, up to now, the management of fishing vessels in Vietnam has changed significantly (a national database on fishing vessels has been built, 98% of fishing vessels operating in offshore areas are equipped with voyage monitoring devices); the traceability of aquatic products has been implemented (chain control from the stage of controlling output through ports to issuing export certificates and controlling raw materials at processing plants); imported raw materials into Vietnam are controlled according to the provisions of the Agreement on Port State Measures, in the coming time, the legality of imported aquatic products into Vietnam by container will be checked.

Along with that, the number of vessels violating foreign waters from 2015 to present has decreased significantly. Up to now, the number of fishing vessels violating illegal fishing in foreign waters that have been arrested and handled has decreased by 84.35% compared to 2016; in which, fishing vessels violating Pacific countries and island nations from 2018 to present have been prevented and stopped.

To implement synchronous solutions for sustainable fisheries development, Minister Le Minh Hoan said that Vietnam has a strategy to reduce fishing capacity, reduce the fleet and switch to aquaculture to develop the sustainable fisheries industry.

Minister Le Minh Hoan's delegation worked with EC partners in Belgium on September 18.

Highly appreciating this visit, EC partners said that Minister Le Minh Hoan's visit clearly affirmed Vietnam's determination and political will and was an opportunity for direct exchange so that the two sides could better understand the difficulties in the process of implementing the fight against IUU fishing.

The Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries and the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (EC) said that Vietnam's stance on handling the IUU "yellow card" and developing a sustainable fisheries sector is a model for the world. The legal framework on fisheries management and combating IUU fishing that Vietnam has built fully meets international standards.

However, there are still some shortcomings in enforcement, such as: there are still fishing vessels violating IUU fishing in foreign waters, although it has decreased compared to before; law enforcement is not consistent between localities; the intensity of seafood exploitation is still high, it is necessary to balance between aquatic resources and exploitation intensity.

However, the EC will accompany Vietnam and wishes to support Vietnam to become a world model in sustainable development of the fisheries sector and combating IUU fishing.

The EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries announced that he will visit Vietnam in early 2024, kicking off a new spring in Vietnam-EU cooperation on sustainable development.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development proposed that the EC support Vietnam in carrying out surveys of aquatic resources in Vietnam's seas; implement programs to convert some seafood exploitation occupations that affect resources and the ecological environment, and change the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities; and support Vietnam in participating in green economic development programs and managing plastic waste at sea.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/bo-truong-bo-nn-ptnt-truc-tiep-sang-eu-tim-cach-go-the-vang-iuu-post706232.html