The root causes of IUU violations must be addressed thoroughly.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha: Implementing regulations on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing helps manage sustainable fishing and seafood exploitation activities - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

According to the report of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in recent times, the implementation of regulations on the minimum size allowed for fishing has caused difficulties and inconveniences for fishermen and businesses in purchasing raw materials. The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) and the Vietnam Fisheries Association have proposed amending and supplementing this regulation to suit the reality, ensuring social security and economic development of people and businesses.

Meanwhile, the regulation of not mixing aquatic products originating from imported and domestic exploitation into the same export shipment leads to many different interpretations, causing difficulties for businesses in production and transportation when there are products that require both domestic and imported materials, or in the same shipping container there are both domestic and imported materials for processing and then export.

The assessment of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment shows that the application of the two regulations on minimum size and mixing of raw materials has partly met the requirements and recommendations of the European Commission (EC) to move towards removing the "yellow card" on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. However, most fishermen have not yet had time to adapt and change their fishing methods and gear to suit the new regulations. The work of propagating and disseminating the new regulations to fishermen and related businesses is still limited and not timely.

Therefore, the draft Decree amending and supplementing a number of decrees in the field of fisheries aims to remove difficulties and obstacles according to the recommendations of fishermen and fisheries business associations regarding the minimum size allowed for fishing and mixing raw materials.

Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy said it is necessary to clearly define the responsibilities of network operators in case of VMS disconnection due to objective and force majeure reasons but causing economic damage to fishermen - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

The network operator must be responsible when VMS connection loss occurs.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasized: The implementation of regulations on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing helps manage sustainable fishing and seafood exploitation activities. Therefore, the draft Decree needs to have additional regulations and solutions to completely address the root causes of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, "through appropriate, fundamental, natural legal mechanisms and policies, including the role and responsibility of the State".

At the meeting, leaders of Ca Mau, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Soc Trang, and Binh Dinh provinces said that to remove the IUU "yellow card", the urgent and immediate task is to manage the fishing fleet, especially the means of exploitation in offshore areas.

In fact, in recent times, many cases of illegal fishing in foreign waters have been committed by the "3 no's" fishing vessels (unregistered, uninspected, unlicensed), or fishing vessels whose inspection or fishing licenses have expired, or even fishing vessels whose registration has been deregistered. Localities have encountered many difficulties in verifying and handling the violating owners, captains, fishermen and vessels.

Chairman of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Van Tho proposed Fishing vessels operating for a long time at sea with expired registration and fishing license, when detected by the authorities, must have a solution to escort and bring them to shore for immediate handling without waiting for the vessel to return to shore. In cases where the vessel or owner of the violating vessel cannot be found for handling but there is still a management record, the management agency shall immediately cancel the registration within 1 month instead of 1 year as per current regulations; immediately cancel the registration of fishing vessels that have been confirmed by the authorities to have sunk and cannot be towed back to shore.

Meanwhile, Vice Chairman of Binh Dinh Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Tuan Thanh shared his experience in supporting fishermen to install VMS equipment on fishing vessels 12-15 m long (which are not required to be installed); resolutely handling fishing vessels that do not enter fishing ports/wharfs and lose VMS connection.

Regarding local feedback and recommendations on the operation of VMS equipment, representatives of network providers providing VMS equipment and satellite signal services reported on the process of classifying and handling situations of damage, inactivity, and loss of connection not caused by intentional acts of fishermen.

Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy said that it is necessary to clearly define the responsibility of network operators in case of VMS disconnection due to objective and force majeure reasons but causing economic damage to fishermen when fishing boats have to return to shore to fix the problem.

"We must solve the problem of maintaining the operation of VMS equipment. Network operators need to improve technical standards and regulations, have tools to accurately determine the cause when VMS equipment is not working or disconnected due to fishermen's fault, technical errors or force majeure, clearly specify who is responsible, and how to compensate if there is economic damage to fishermen," said Minister Do Duc Duy.

Opinions say that to remove the IUU "yellow card", the urgent and immediate task is to manage the fishing fleet, especially the means of exploitation in offshore areas - Photo: VGP/Minh Khoi

Managing the origin of seafood exploited in a closed chain

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to fully absorb the issues and opinions raised by localities and businesses.

The amendment and supplementation of a number of decrees in the fisheries sector must have a more far-sighted and fundamental vision, focusing on thoroughly resolving a number of key issues to remove the IUU "yellow card" such as: Managing sustainable fishing and seafood exploitation activities according to fishing grounds and breeding seasons; focusing on completely eliminating "3 no" vessels; reviewing regulations and conditions for private fishing ports to participate in providing services for receiving fishing vessels, confirming the origin of seafood from exploitation...

The Deputy Prime Minister also proposed to simplify administrative procedures for fishing vessels docking at ports based on journey monitoring data and electronic logbooks. "If the correct journey, time, and reported catch volume are transferred immediately to the "green channel", the origin of the exploited seafood will be automatically confirmed according to the post-inspection process". For long-term fishing vessels using fishing logistics vessels, there should also be flexible, non-rigid management measures to confirm the origin of the exploited seafood brought from the logistics vessel to shore.

"Information and data on the activities of fishing vessels, fishing logistics vessels, purchasing units, processing facilities/enterprises... must be managed in a closed chain to ensure the origin of exploited seafood," the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested to improve technical standards and regulations to ensure safe and continuous operation of VMS equipment; institutionalize the rights and responsibilities of network operators when damage or loss of connection occurs not due to the fishermen's fault.

Minh Khoi

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/phai-xu-ly-dut-diem-nguyen-nhan-goc-re-cua-cac-vi-pham-iuu-102250325163800718.htm