A pillar of support for fishermen to venture out to sea and maintain their livelihoods.

In addition to effectively managing and protecting the sovereignty and security of the province's maritime borders, over the years, officers and soldiers of the Provincial Border Guard have always stood side-by-side with safe fishing boat groups and self-governing security teams at sea to monitor the situation, provide timely support and assistance, becoming a "pillar of support" helping fishermen venture out to sea, maintain their livelihoods, and protect the province's border sovereignty.

Provincial Border Guard officers provide medical examinations for fishermen in the coastal border area.

In late March, with favorable weather, fishermen in Giao Xuan commune (Giao Thuy district) were busy preparing for their next fishing trip. Replacing the faded national flag on his boat before departure, Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh from Giao Xuan commune excitedly said: “Having spent my whole life connected to the sea and my profession, the sight of the national flag fluttering in the waters of my homeland has given me strength and confidence on every fishing trip, filling my boat with shrimp and fish. Seeing the national flag flying at sea reminds me of my homeland and my responsibility to the sea and islands.” With the desire to support fishermen in safe fishing practices and to ensure local security and order, the Ba Lat Border Guard Station has advised and coordinated with local authorities to establish 14 self-governing security groups at sea with 135 members. These self-governing security groups have helped fishermen unite and bond with each other during their fishing trips. The members regularly communicate and support each other, while resolutely fighting against and reporting cases of foreign vessels violating Vietnam's territorial waters. To date, the Ba Lat Border Guard Station has propagated, mobilized, and called upon 569 vessels and 1,980 laborers working at sea and in watchtowers to move to safe shelters; coordinated the maintenance of 4 "Women for Development and Peace along the Coastal Line" Clubs, 3 "Farmers Participating in Economic Development and Protecting Sovereignty and Security in the Coastal Area" Clubs, and "Fishery Exploitation and Security Maintenance Professional Groups". Mr. Nguyen Van Quan, a fisherman with many years of experience, said: "The fact that officers and soldiers of the Ba Lat Border Guard Station regularly meet with fishermen to understand, exchange information, and disseminate legal regulations when working at sea has contributed to helping people feel secure in their work and production at sea, and stabilize their lives."

To facilitate and provide timely support for fishermen's fishing activities, the Provincial Border Guard Command has directed border guard posts to survey and assess the situation, and advise the People's Committees of communes and towns to establish safe fishing boat groups and self-governing security and order groups; coordinate with relevant agencies to promote propaganda and mobilize fishermen to comply with regulations and rules of the maritime border area, State regulations and regulations of the fisheries sector on fishing activities at sea, commit to not operating fishing vessels in the waters of other countries, and strictly comply with regulations on ensuring safety equipment for people and vessels operating at sea. Under the guidance of border guard posts, members of safe fishing boat groups and self-governing security and order groups are guided, informed, and trained in rescue, flood and storm prevention, and search and rescue at sea; and are transferred and applied to new fishing technologies and techniques according to current policies and mechanisms. From 2024 to the present, the Provincial Border Guard has maintained the operation of 36 safe fishing boat groups, 557 vessels with 1,364 members; 63 self-governing security and order groups with 335 members; 27 groups with 695 members; and 19 "Women for Peace and Development of the Coastal Line" Clubs. They have organized 98 integrated propaganda sessions, reaching 7,423 people; broadcasted 1,941 times (17,925 minutes) on the local radio system; written and published 112 news articles and reports sent to the radio stations of 3 districts and border communes/towns, and the electronic information portal of Nam Dinh province…; and encouraged vessel owners and captains to sign commitments not to encroach on foreign waters for fishing and to strictly comply with the law on fishing at sea.

Furthermore, closely following the leadership and direction of the Party Committee and the Provincial Border Guard Command, the units have focused on improving the quality of intelligence gathering at sea and in the area; effectively combating violations of sovereignty by foreign vessels; strictly maintaining the combat readiness duty; and regularly practicing and handling situations occurring at sea. The Provincial Border Guard has deployed 2 ships, 12 motorboats with 68 officers and soldiers; requisitioned 24 fishing vessels and 108 fishermen; and coordinated with search and rescue forces to safely bring 18 crew members who fell into the sea and went missing ashore; maintained 100% of personnel on duty, ready to participate in rescue and relief operations and assist people in flooded areas in the province; coordinated the inspection and management of 21 fishing vessels, and prepared 30 officers to carry out tasks participating in the protection of sovereignty according to Government Decrees No. 30 and 130. To boost social activities, the Provincial Border Guard Command coordinated with relevant departments and localities to present 395 gifts and 350 sticky rice cakes to policy beneficiary families in the area during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year); and provided regular support to 35 students in the "Helping Children Go to School - Children Adopted by Border Guard Posts" and "Godmother" programs. The Provincial Border Guard Command also coordinated with the Provincial Farmers' Association and Women's Association to provide free health check-ups and medicine to hundreds of farmer members and policy beneficiary families in the coastal border areas of Giao Long commune (Giao Thuy district) and Hai Xuan commune (Hai Hau district); and collaborated with the Provincial Education Promotion Association to award 200 scholarships to students in the coastal border areas and children of Border Guard officers with outstanding academic achievements in the 2023-2024 school year.

In the coming period, the Provincial Border Guard Command will continue to focus on effectively carrying out propaganda work and raising awareness among people in the coastal border areas of the province; implementing many practical and effective solutions to build a solid all-people border defense posture, contributing to protecting the sovereignty of the country's seas and islands and providing a solid foundation for fishermen to venture out to sea and maintain their livelihoods.

Text and photos: Van Huynh

Source: https://baonamdinh.vn/xa-hoi/202503/diem-tuacho-ngu-dan-vuon-khoi-bambien-b791387/