Dong Thap: Resolutely preventing and combating IUU fishing

Fishermen comply with regulations

One of the highlights in Dong Thap ’s recent anti-IUU fishing efforts is that fishermen’s awareness has been raised. Through propaganda, fishermen have complied well with regulations related to anti-IUU fishing activities.

Dong Thap has focused on and implemented well the work of combating IUU fishing in recent times.

Mr. Huynh Van Thien's family (My Tho ward, Dong Thap province) has 10 boats specializing in purchasing offshore seafood such as tuna, mackerel, etc. from offshore fishing vessels.

According to Mr. Thien, on average, the fleet purchases more than 200 tons of seafood each month. During the process of purchasing seafood from fishing vessels at sea, his vehicles always comply with legal regulations on the origin of goods. In addition, during the process of leaving and docking at the port, the fleet ensures compliance with the requirements of the Fishing Port Management Board.

The family of Mr. Do Thanh Tung (Gia Thuan commune, Dong Thap province) is one of the veteran fishermen in the locality with 2 trawlers specializing in offshore fishing. According to Mr. Tung, recently, he and a local fisherman have been informed by the local government and the Border Guard about the regulations on combating IUU fishing. Since then, he has thoroughly instructed the captains and crew members to comply with the regulations; the vessels have also been installed with journey monitoring devices.

Mr. Tung said: "Currently, people all comply with the State's regulations. If they violate, they will be punished. Not to mention, if they are unfortunately discovered and arrested in another country's waters, they will lose all their property."

POSITIVE CHANGE

To work with the whole country to remove the "yellow card" on fisheries, from 2024 to now, the Provincial People's Committee has issued 58 directives on combating IUU fishing. The Provincial People's Committee has assigned specific tasks to departments, branches and localities to focus on drastic solutions to overcome the recommendations and shortcomings assessed by the 4th EC Inspection Team and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MARD) Working Group to prepare for the 5th inspection to achieve good results.

The province strictly manages the fishing fleet.

In recent times, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has regularly coordinated with functional forces and localities to organize propaganda and dissemination of laws on combating IUU fishing in a timely and comprehensive manner. This continues to create a strong change in people's awareness of respecting and complying with the laws of Vietnam and other countries in the region on marine fishing.

According to the Provincial People's Committee, the total number of fishing vessels registered in the province is 1,507, reaching 100% of registered vessels. To date, the province has completed licensing for 1,298/1,298 operating vessels.

The locality ensures that 100% of fishing vessels in operation are registered, inspected, marked, clearly marked with registration numbers, licensed; installed with journey monitoring equipment and turned on signals 24/7 from the time they leave the port until they return to the dock according to regulations. The work of identifying fishing vessels and synchronizing fishing vessel information on the databases VNFishbase, VMS, VNeID, and vehicle management of the Border Guard force reaches 100% of fishing vessels in operation.

Currently, the province has compiled a list of 209 fishing vessels that are not qualified to operate and assigned specific tasks to each force. Currently, the sectors and localities have strictly controlled and have full anchorage locations and anchorage images of these vessels.

According to the Provincial People's Committee, Dong Thap has two type II fishing ports (My Tho Fishing Port and Vam Lang Fishing Port) with infrastructure and design capacity to meet the needs of loading and unloading products of fishermen. Up to now, the province has completed investment in upgrading information technology infrastructure (desktop computers, tablets, internet connection) at the fishing ports.

Thereby, 100% of fishing vessels with a length of 15 m or more participating in the activities of leaving and docking at ports on the eCDT electronic system; 28/28 seafood purchasing facilities and processing enterprises monitor the output of exploited seafood unloaded through the port, and traceability records of exploited seafood on the eCDT system.

Monitoring of fishing vessels operating at sea is carried out regularly and continuously. In addition, the traceability of exploited aquatic products meets the requirements according to EC recommendations and there are no erroneous export records that need to be verified and explained.

As a result, from 2024 to now, Dong Thap province has had no fishing vessels violating the regulations on exploiting seafood in foreign waters. The compliance of ship owners has been improved. The situation of fishing vessels losing connection to the monitoring signal for more than 6 hours, more than 10 days, and ships crossing the border has decreased significantly compared to the same period, and there have been no fishing vessels violating the regulations on exploiting foreign waters. In general, Dong Thap has implemented the EC's recommendations well.

FOCUS

To effectively combat IUU fishing and work with the whole country to remove the "yellow card" for fisheries, Dong Thap is continuing to synchronously deploy solutions.

Dong Thap is making efforts with the whole country to remove the "yellow card" on seafood.

According to the Provincial People's Committee, in the coming time, the locality will effectively carry out propaganda and mobilization work for fishermen, organizations and individuals to comply with legal regulations and not violate IUU fishing. At the same time, the organization will well implement the coordination regulations in monitoring fishing vessel journeys at sea, promptly preventing fishing vessels of the province at risk of violating IUU.

One of the key solutions is to strictly manage the province's fishing fleet; compile statistics and lists of fishing vessels that are not qualified to operate; inspect and control fishing vessels, ensuring they are not allowed to leave port to participate in fishing activities.

Accordingly, the province will do a good job of issuing fishing licenses, registering and inspecting fishing vessels, issuing certificates of facilities meeting food safety and hygiene conditions, installing voyage monitoring equipment, and marking fishing vessels. This is to ensure that 100% of fishing vessels in operation are registered, inspected, marked, licensed, installed with voyage monitoring equipment, and signaled 24/7 from the time they leave the port until they return to the dock in accordance with regulations...

The locality will focus on monitoring 100% of offshore fishing vessels, especially high-risk vessels and vessels that frequently operate in border areas; resolutely and strictly handle fishing vessels that lose signal for more than 6 hours and more than 10 days while operating at sea. At the same time, closely coordinate with the Command of Coast Guard Regions 3 and 4, promptly inform and handle situations at sea; prevent fishing vessels from Dong Thap province from illegally exploiting foreign waters.

The province will focus on strictly controlling the transportation of aquatic products at sea; strictly handling fishing vessels that violate illegal fishing practices, transport aquatic products at sea, or do not enter designated fishing ports to unload products according to regulations.

In addition, the locality will seriously carry out the work of confirming, certifying, and tracing the origin of exploited aquatic products; resolutely handle violations of "document legalization" for shipments exported to the European market. Fully update information on the output unloaded through the port; declare 100% on the eCDT system when ships dock at the port to sell fish and leave the port to go fishing...

In addition, Dong Thap will intensify the implementation of peak periods of law enforcement, investigation, verification, and resolute handling of IUU fishing violations. In particular, the locality will focus on thoroughly handling violations of disconnecting journey monitoring, removing and transporting journey monitoring equipment, and illegal fishing in foreign waters...

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