The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development personally traveled to the EU to seek the removal of the IUU "yellow card".

SGGPO 19/09/2023 17:09

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

Minister Le Minh Hoan paid a visit and held working meetings with EC partners in Belgium on September 18th.

In an effort to lobby the EU to lift the IUU "yellow card" for Vietnamese seafood before the European Commission's (EC) IUU inspection team arrives in Vietnam for its fourth inspection, a delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, led by Minister Le Minh Hoan, visited and worked with relevant EC agencies in Brussels, Belgium from September 18 (European time).

During working sessions with the Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries and the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (of the European Commission), Minister Le Minh Hoan affirmed that combating IUU fishing is a key task for Vietnam's fisheries sector, not only for exporting to the EU but also to help develop sustainable aquaculture and fisheries, demonstrating Vietnam's responsibility and maintaining its prestige on the international stage.

During the working sessions, Minister Le Minh Hoan also affirmed Vietnam's political determination to make the utmost effort to repel and end IUU fishing, with the entire political system actively involved.

Thanks to these efforts, Vietnam's fishing vessel management has significantly improved (a national database of fishing vessels has been established, and 98% of offshore fishing vessels are equipped with vessel tracking devices); traceability of seafood has been implemented (control throughout the chain from controlling catch volume at ports to issuing export certificates and controlling raw materials at processing plants); imported raw materials into Vietnam are controlled according to the regulations of the Agreement on Port State Measures, and in the future, post-inspection of the legality of imported harvested seafood into Vietnam via containers will be conducted.

Furthermore, the number of vessels violating foreign waters has decreased significantly since 2015. To date, the number of fishing vessels caught and prosecuted for illegal fishing in foreign waters has decreased by 84.35% compared to 2016; this includes preventing and ending violations by fishing vessels from Pacific island nations and countries since 2018.

To implement synchronized solutions for sustainable fisheries development, Minister Le Minh Hoan stated that Vietnam has a strategy to reduce fishing intensity, decrease the fishing fleet, and shift to aquaculture to develop a sustainable fisheries sector.

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

Highly appreciating this visit, EC partners stated that Minister Le Minh Hoan's visit clearly affirms Vietnam's determination and political will, and provides an opportunity for direct exchanges to help both sides better understand the difficulties in enforcing measures against IUU fishing.

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

However, enforcement still faces some challenges, such as: the continued occurrence of fishing vessels violating IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing regulations in foreign waters, although this has decreased compared to the past; inconsistent law enforcement across localities; and the high intensity of fishing operations, requiring a balance between fishery resources and fishing intensity.

However, the EC will stand alongside Vietnam and hopes to support Vietnam in becoming a model for the world in sustainable development of the fisheries sector and combating IUU fishing.

The EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries has announced a visit to Vietnam in early 2024, marking the beginning of a new era in Vietnam-EU cooperation on sustainable development.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development requested the EC's support for Vietnam in conducting surveys of fisheries resources in Vietnamese waters; implementing programs to transform certain fishing practices that negatively impact resources and the ecological environment, and to provide alternative livelihoods for coastal fishing communities; and supporting Vietnam's participation in green economic development programs and the management of 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