Efforts are being made nationwide to remove the "yellow card" issued during the 5th inspection.

While the period from 2011 to 2017 saw 51 incidents involving 70 fishing vessels and 699 fishermen violating foreign waters throughout the province, since the issuance of Directive No. 30-CT/TU dated January 16, 2018, by the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee (13th term), the province has only recorded 19 incidents involving 24 fishing vessels and 172 fishermen violating foreign waters, resulting in their arrest by authorities. Although this situation has not completely ended, the strong involvement of the entire political system has helped fishermen in the province shift from awareness to action.

There has been a change.

At a recent online conference summarizing six years of implementing Directive No. 30 on urgent tasks and solutions to strengthen management, prevent, and end the illegal fishing activities of fishing vessels and fishermen in the province in foreign waters, delegates acknowledged Binh Thuan as the first province to issue Directive 30 related to combating IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing. The directive particularly emphasized the management and prevention of illegal fishing activities by fishing vessels and fishermen in the province in foreign waters. As a result, this work has seen many positive changes over the years. The number of fishing vessels and fishermen violating foreign waters has decreased and is beginning to be prevented. From January 2018 to February 2024, the province recorded 19 incidents, a decrease of 32 incidents compared to the previous period, with the highest concentration in La Gi town (20 vessels), followed by Phu Quy, Ham Tan, and Tuy Phong. The handling of fishing vessels violating foreign waters has been carried out seriously. The Provincial Border Guard Command issued administrative penalties against the captains of 7 fishing vessels for the act of taking Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermen to exploit foreign waters, with a fine of 85 million VND per captain; the Provincial People's Committee issued administrative penalties against 3 owners of fishing vessels violating foreign waters, with a fine of 900 million VND per vessel.

The number of fishing vessels and fishermen violating foreign waters has decreased and has been initially prevented. Photo: N. Lan.

Besides administrative penalties, provincial and local authorities also apply supplementary penalties such as: revoking fishing licenses, removing offenders from the list of registered fishing vessels operating in distant waters, suspending support policies for fishing vessels and fishermen violating foreign waters; publicly announcing violations through mass media and holding public reprimands for fishing vessel owners and captains before the community… In addition, from 2018 to 2023, functional forces have penalized 3,346 violations in fisheries activities, especially IUU violations, with fines totaling over 24 billion VND. Of these, the Provincial Border Guard Command handled 846 cases with fines of 2.79 billion VND; and the Fisheries Sub-Department penalized 2,500 cases with fines of 21.2 billion VND.

Authorities have penalized hundreds of violations in the fisheries sector, especially those related to IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing.

This is an urgent and ongoing task.

Speaking at the conference, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Hai stated that: Maritime management and control of offshore fishing fleets still face many difficulties. Therefore, while the number of fishing vessels and fishermen encroaching on foreign waters for illegal fishing and seafood harvesting has decreased significantly, the situation still persists. Consequently, departments, agencies, and coastal localities must be more decisive and implement comprehensive solutions to prevent and end this situation, especially during the peak period of the EC's 5th inspection visit to Vietnam. Timely detection and early prevention of acts of sending fishing vessels and fishermen to illegally exploit seafood in foreign waters are crucial. Further investigation, verification, and consolidation of evidence are necessary to prosecute organizations and individuals involved in brokering or facilitating illegal fishing by sending fishing vessels and fishermen to exploit seafood illegally.

Actively disseminating information to fishermen aims to create a strong shift in awareness and compliance with the law (photo: N. Lan)

With the results achieved, at the conference, Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Hoai Anh emphasized: Functional agencies must mobilize all resources and promptly address the shortcomings and limitations pointed out by the EC inspection team during the 4th inspection. At the same time, they must prepare well for working with the EC inspection team for the 5th inspection in the second quarter of 2024. In addition, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and other political and social organizations should continue to innovate and improve the effectiveness of propaganda and education work among fishermen (ship owners and their families), aiming to create a strong shift in awareness and compliance with the law, and a commitment to not violating illegal fishing in foreign waters.

Authorities are disseminating information and reminding fishermen (photo: N. Lân)

In particular, the Provincial Party Secretary requested that localities and relevant agencies promptly reward and commend individuals and groups who effectively implement measures to combat IUU fishing. From there, they should promote and replicate successful models of IUU implementation. At the same time, they should create conditions for restructuring the fisheries sector, primarily focusing on restructuring the offshore fishing fleet in conjunction with fisheries logistics services, developing aquaculture in suitable areas, and effectively implementing policies to support fishermen according to Government Decisions 48 and 67. Localities must research and submit to competent authorities for approval urgent tasks such as dredging waterways and improving fishing port infrastructure; continue to request central government support and leverage other funding sources to promptly invest in storm shelters combined with fishing ports. The Provincial Party Secretary also requested the Provincial Party Committee to proactively care for and build sustainable livelihoods for fishermen at offshore areas, and to develop and supplement coordination regulations between Binh Thuan province and relevant localities, as well as with maritime law enforcement forces (Navy, Coast Guard, Fisheries Surveillance) to closely control and promptly prevent violations by fishing vessels operating outside the province's territorial waters and in overlapping border areas. At the same time, he urged Party committees, governments, and mass organizations at all levels to proactively care for and build sustainable livelihoods for fishermen.

At the conference, Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Hoai Anh requested that the heads of Party committees, Party organizations, governments at all levels, and relevant agencies continue to directly lead and effectively guide the work of preventing and combating IUU fishing, considering this task as an urgent, regular, and continuous effort of the entire political system.

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/6-nam-thuc-hien-chi-thi-30-chong-khai-thac-iuu-no-luc-cung-ca-nuoc-go-the-vang-trong-dot-thanh-tra-lan-5-118122.html