To help fishermen understand correctly and do things right.

In the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and the lifting of the EC's yellow card, each sector, unit, and locality is striving to innovate the way it disseminates laws in a way that is accessible and easy to understand, thereby bringing about a clear change in fishermen's awareness of complying with fishing regulations.

Border guards distribute special publications on combating IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing to fishermen in Hon Dat commune. Photo: THUY TRANG

Visual and engaging propaganda

Holding a copy of the anti-IUU fishing propaganda magazine, recently gifted by officials from the Fisheries and Fisheries Inspection Sub-Department, Mr. Do Hong Chau, residing in Vinh Phat neighborhood, Vinh Hiep ward, happily flipped through the pages, carefully reading the contents. The magazine is organized by topic, containing useful information for seafarers, presenting dry legal regulations concisely and succinctly, with vivid illustrations to help fishermen easily understand and access the information. Mr. Chau shared: “This is not just an ordinary propaganda magazine; each page contains clear messages, reminding boat owners and fishermen to comply with the law when operating at sea.”

According to Le Huu Toan, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment: “Following the directive of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee on strengthening and diversifying forms of propaganda against IUU fishing, the Department, in coordination with the An Giang Provincial Newspaper and Radio and Television, organized the publication of a special issue on combating IUU fishing with 11,000 copies, distributed directly to boat owners, captains, and fishermen in the province. With an easy-to-understand format and many illustrative images, it helps fishermen understand the regulations during the fishing process, thereby raising their awareness of complying with the law and not violating regulations on preventing and combating IUU fishing.”

In addition to publishing promotional newsletters, the Department of Agriculture and Environment also printed numerous leaflets containing information on regulations for fishing zones at sea, a letter from the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee appealing against IUU fishing, and the lifting of the EC's "yellow card" warning... During meetings and interactions with fishermen and boat owners, besides oral communication, the Department also directly distributed these promotional materials to fishermen.

To make fishermen aware of the consequences of violating fishing regulations in foreign waters and infringing on IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing, the Provincial People's Court has organized public, mobile trials of many cases related to IUU fishing. Most recently, at Tac Cau fishing port, fishermen directly attended a mobile trial of two criminal cases, sentencing defendant Le Duy Tinh (born in 1981), residing in Rach Gia ward, to 5 years in prison and Tran Van Tai (born in 1978), residing in Vinh Thong ward, to 1 year in prison, both for the crime of organizing illegal emigration. This method of propaganda is highly effective because it resonates with the fishermen's psychology. At the same time, it helps fishermen understand the seriousness of intentionally taking fishing vessels to foreign waters to illegally exploit marine resources.

Mr. Nguyen Van Lac, a boat captain residing in Binh An commune, said: "From the case of the violation being brought to trial, I realize this is a warning to myself and other fishermen: don't intentionally violate the law for economic gain; we must absolutely abide by the law."

Going down to each ship, knocking on every door.

For over a month, during the intensified campaign against IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing, all levels of government and local authorities have been focusing their efforts on the task. With a determination to go door-to-door, numerous provincial task forces, including police, border guards, relevant agencies, and local authorities, have been established to directly contact and meet with ship owners, captains, and fishermen to disseminate information on fishing vessel management, guide them through registration, inspection, and licensing procedures, explain the Fisheries Law and new regulations on administrative penalties in the fisheries sector, and urge fishermen not to take their vessels to fish in foreign waters.

Secretary of the Hon Dat Commune Party Committee, Duong Minh Tam, shared: “To contribute to the nationwide effort to lift the yellow card, Hon Dat commune has been implementing many comprehensive solutions and innovating methods of propaganda to raise awareness among fishermen to jointly prevent and combat IUU fishing. The commune has established a propaganda team against IUU fishing, assigning officials to monitor and visit fishermen's homes and boats to disseminate information and mobilize them.”

Mr. Do Van Thanh, a resident of Hon Dat commune, said: “Commune and hamlet officials regularly disseminate information and remind us, so I have thoroughly understood the regulations that when going out to sea, we must have all the necessary documents, fishing vessels must keep their tracking devices switched on, and we must operate within Vietnam's territorial waters, not participate in fishing in foreign waters.”

Raising the awareness of fishermen will help make the process of lifting the EC's "yellow card" a reality sooner, contributing to the nationwide effort to build a sustainable Vietnamese fisheries industry.

THUY TRANG

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/de-ngu-dan-hieu-dung-lam-trung-a471555.html