Fishermen's fulcrum at the forefront of the waves

Thanh Hoa Fisheries Surveillance Force inspects and handles administrative violations in combination with disseminating laws to fishermen.

In response to the requirements of the new period, in 2023, Thanh Hoa Province Fisheries Surveillance was established (under the management of the Thanh Hoa Department of Sea, Islands and Fisheries). Although it has not been operating for long, the fisheries surveillance force has been active, proactive, highly responsible, united, overcome difficulties and hardships, accepted management, quickly mastered and exploited the equipment and vessels assigned to it; improved the level of command organization, expertise, discipline, order, methods and working style.

Thanh Hoa Fisheries Surveillance has maintained effective enforcement of the law on fisheries surveillance; promoted the development of fisheries, protected aquatic resources; actively and effectively implemented directives on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; promptly and strictly handled all violations by Vietnamese fishing vessels and civilian vessels and foreign vessels operating in Thanh Hoa's waters; successfully completed the task of participating in the struggle to protect the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland. Along with that, the fisheries surveillance force has performed well the search and rescue work for fishermen at sea, so that they can rest assured to exploit seafood for a long time.

On March 23, 2025, during patrolling, checking and controlling in the coastal area of ​​Hau Loc district, the fishing control ship with the registration number KN-836-TS received information from the fishing boat TH-93369-TS owned by Mr. Nguyen Van Chung, the ship owner and captain residing in Minh Loc commune (Hau Loc), requesting support to bring a crew member who had an accident at sea ashore for emergency treatment.

Immediately after receiving the information, Mr. Le Cong Tinh, Head of Hoa Loc Fisheries Control Station (Hau Loc) mobilized the fisheries control ship numbered KN-836-TS and a canoe to approach the ship with the victim, and successfully brought Mr. Nguyen Van Khai, a fishing boat crew member whose hand was crushed, ashore for treatment. His health is now stable.

According to Nguyen Van Trung, Head of the Fisheries Control Department, Thanh Hoa Department of Sea, Islands and Fisheries, officers and fisheries control officers always identify search and rescue as the top priority task, especially during the rainy and stormy season. It is not only a responsibility but also an "order from the heart".

In order for fishermen to voluntarily comply with fisheries laws, create favorable conditions for inspection and control work, and limit the need to handle violations, the fisheries control force pays great attention to educating and disseminating to fishermen about fisheries laws and related directives and regulations.

From January 2024 to present, the fisheries control force and related units have printed and distributed 62,000 leaflets and 23,000 handbooks to fishermen; organized 142 training courses and propaganda conferences for about 7,800 officials and fishermen in coastal districts, towns, cities and Thanh Hoa city; broadcast over 5,000 news articles on loudspeakers in localities, fishing ports, border stations; distributed 400 life jackets and 2,000 national flags to ship owners and captains of fishing boats.

Law enforcement at sea has been strengthened. The force has established teams to verify and handle fishing vessels violating fishing regulations in the sea, thereby contributing to raising the understanding, responsibility and awareness of ship owners, captains and people about the provisions of the fisheries law and regulations on combating IUU fishing.

Through inspection, patrol, examination, control, and handling of administrative violations by the fisheries control force, IUU fishing activities have been promptly prevented and gradually reduced, such as: using unregistered and uninspected fishing vessels; not installing equipment or not maintaining voyage monitoring signals; operating in the wrong area, not complying with the content of the fishing license; using explosives, electric shocks, and toxic substances to exploit aquatic resources; violating foreign waters...

Mr. Hoang Van Trong, Hai Binh ward (Nghi Son town), owner of fishing boat TH-91196-TS, said: “On March 22, 2025, I went out to sea to exploit aquatic products and encountered a patrolling fisheries force. Through inspection, I violated the law by “not carrying the original or a certified copy of the fishing license when the fishing boat was operating”. Although I was fined 7.5 million VND, I strongly support the force's drastic intervention. During the inspection, the officers also explained the error to me and distributed leaflets with quite complete information necessary for fishermen to easily contact when encountering incidents at sea. With that guidance, we have understood many issues about the law at sea".

In 2024, Thanh Hoa Fisheries Surveillance coordinated with relevant units to handle 306 violations with the amount paid to the State budget of over 2.6 billion VND; in the first quarter of 2025, 20 cases were handled with the amount paid to the State budget of over 205 million VND.

Head of the Thanh Hoa Department of Sea, Islands and Fisheries, Nguyen Xuan Dong said: “The Fisheries Surveillance Force will always support and accompany fishermen to go offshore, stick to the sea, and develop the marine economy. The force will promote close cooperation with the Coast Guard, Navy, and Border Guard in patrolling, controlling, enforcing the law, and protecting aquatic resources, combating IUU fishing, for a green, sustainable and internationally integrated fisheries industry. We will also continue to build a force towards discipline, eliteness, and modernity; maintain security and order in fisheries at sea, contributing to protecting the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland."

Article and photos: Anh Tuan

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/diem-tua-cua-ngu-dan-noi-dau-song-245910.htm