Online Conference on Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU)

On the afternoon of August 28, Comrade Pham Minh Chinh, Politburo member and Prime Minister chaired an online conference on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Provincial Party Secretary Do Trong Hung and delegates attending the conference at Thanh Hoa bridge.

Attending the conference at the Thanh Hoa province bridge were comrades: Do Trong Hung, member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Nguyen Van Thi, member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; leaders of relevant departments and branches; members of the Steering Committee against IUU fishing. The conference was also connected with coastal districts, towns and cities in the province.

Delegates attending at Thanh Hoa province bridge point.

After nearly 7 years (since October 23, 2017) of implementing the fight against IUU fishing, removing the "Yellow Card" warning of the European Commission (EC), implementing Directive No. 32-CT/TW, dated April 10, 2024 of the Secretariat, Resolution No. 52/NQ-CP, dated April 22, 2024 of the Government, the instructions of the Prime Minister , Head of the National Steering Committee on combating IUU fishing; through 4 inspections by the EC, up to now, the fight against IUU fishing has achieved some results in: Completing the legal framework; installing voyage monitoring equipment (VMS); Building a national fisheries database, controlling imported aquatic products according to the provisions of the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA), law enforcement, and sanctions for IUU fishing violations have been strengthened more than before... The EC highly appreciates Vietnam's political determination, especially the attention and strong direction of the Central level. However, the direction and implementation at the local level still have many limitations, leading to some tasks changing very slowly, not meeting the requirements according to the EC's recommendations at the 4th inspection in October 2023.

At the conference, ministries, branches and localities discussed and presented the achieved results, clarified existing issues, limitations, causes and assessed the situation in preparation for working with the 5th EC Inspection Delegation in October 2024. Along with that, ministries, branches and localities also proposed and recommended to the Prime Minister solutions to combat IUU fishing.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh delivered a concluding speech at the conference. (Screenshot).

Concluding the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pointed out the responsibilities of agencies and localities for allowing fishing vessels and fishermen to illegally exploit seafood; the role and responsibility of leaders in law enforcement management to allow violations to occur.

To remove the “yellow card” after the EC Inspection Delegation’s 5th working session, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested relevant ministries, sectors and localities to strictly implement Directive No. 32-CT/TW of the Secretariat and Resolution No. 52/NQ-CP of the Government. Ministries, sectors and localities need to focus highly, deploy peak times, mobilize resources to prevent and end the situation of fishing vessels violating illegal exploitation in foreign waters; strengthen the police and border guards to coordinate with local authorities in key areas to both propagate and mobilize, and promptly detect and prevent early and from a distance fishing vessels and fishermen intending to illegally exploit in foreign waters.

Localities need to thoroughly apply the provisions of Resolution No. 04/2024/NQ-HDTP, dated June 12, 2024 of the Council of Judges of the Supreme People's Court on guiding the application of a number of provisions of the Penal Code on criminal prosecution for acts related to illegal exploitation, trading, and transportation of aquatic products, to strictly handle acts related to illegal exploitation of aquatic products in foreign waters as well as acts of disconnecting, sending, and transporting VMS equipment in violation of the law. Provinces that still allow fishing vessels to illegally exploit in foreign waters are required to organize reviews and clarify the responsibilities of relevant organizations and individuals.

Relevant ministries and branches regularly inspect the responsibility of localities in handling administrative violations in the fisheries sector; strictly handle organizations and individuals who fail to fulfill their duties in performing public duties, and punish IUU fishing acts.

Delegates attending at Thanh Hoa province bridge point.

The Prime Minister requested localities to resolutely and strictly handle the responsibilities of relevant organizations, individuals and functional forces that do not fulfill their assigned duties and tasks in performing their official duties; cover up, condone and assist IUU fishing, allowing fishing vessels violating IUU fishing to enter and exit ports and participate in fishing activities. Urgently and seriously implement the electronic traceability system for exploited aquatic products to ensure transparency and legality in confirming, certifying and tracing the origin of exploited aquatic products. Relevant ministries, branches and localities need to carefully prepare programs, plans and working contents with the 5th EC Inspection Delegation, and make determined efforts to remove the "Yellow Card" of the European Commission (EC).

Minh Hieu

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/hoi-nghi-truc-tuyen-ve-chong-khai-thiac-hai-san-bat-hop-phap-khong-bao-cao-va-khong-theo-quy-dinh-iuu-223303.htm