The 20th meeting of the National Steering Committee on IUU

on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing with 21 coastal localities. Also attending were comrade Tran Hong Ha, member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister, Head of the National IUU Steering Committee. Attending online at the Quang Ninh bridge point were comrade Nguyen Van Cong, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and representatives of relevant departments, branches, communes and wards.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh gave a speech at the meeting.

According to the report of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment , in the past week, ministries, sectors and coastal localities across the country have synchronously deployed many measures, achieving positive results in the fight against IUU fishing. The number of unlicensed fishing vessels and unqualified vessels has decreased; the rate of fishing vessels nationwide updating their owners' citizen identification information to the Vnfishbase system has clearly changed...

In Quang Ninh, implementing the Prime Minister's instructions at the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th meetings of the National Steering Committee on IUU, the province promptly issued directive documents and implemented solutions on effective and sustainable fisheries development, preventing and combating IUU fishing in accordance with actual conditions and recommendations of the EC.

Up to now, the shortcomings and limitations have been effectively overcome, and some targets have been completed ahead of schedule. Accordingly, the rate of fishing vessel registration reached 100%; the rate of updating fishing vessel information on the Vnfishbase system reached 100%; ensuring 100% of fishing vessels of 15m or more are synchronized on the VMS system; the rate of granting fishing licenses reached 100%; the rate of verifying and handling fishing vessels that lost connection to VMS at sea reached 100%. At the same time, through information and propaganda activities, the awareness and perception of fishermen in the province on the Fisheries Law and regulations on IUU fishing have changed significantly.

Comrade Nguyen Van Cong, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, and related departments and branches attended at the Quang Ninh bridge point.

In the coming time, Quang Ninh province will continue to synchronously implement management solutions, firmly grasp the area, promptly detect early and remotely, resolutely overcome and handle fishing vessels that violate or are at risk of violating IUU fishing; step up propaganda, mobilization, closely monitor and manage the activities of all fishing vessels in the community, fishing ports and on sea areas, seafood processing and trading activities; control and clearly understand the anchorage location of each fishing vessel that is not qualified to participate in fishing activities in the area. At the same time, focus on consolidating records and handling violations of legal regulations on combating IUU fishing for acts (losing VMS connection, crossing fishing boundaries at sea, violating foreign waters, not registering, inspecting, operating in the wrong area...), including cases where the ship owner or captain is not present at the place of residence; Prosecute and try cases in accordance with the law to create deterrence and education in coastal communities.

Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized: Ministries, branches and localities continue to promote the highest sense of responsibility to implement measures against IUU fishing; promptly update, classify and resolutely eliminate unqualified vessels; strengthen strict handling of violations in accordance with legal regulations to create a synchronous deterrent. For fishing vessels that are not qualified to operate, localities must promptly zone, classify and handle them thoroughly in accordance with regulations.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will speed up the completion of the dossier on the origin of fisheries and publicize it on mass media; review and thoroughly handle the situation of fishing vessels violating foreign waters. Along with that, continue to promote the dissemination of legal regulations on mass media infrastructure.

The Prime Minister emphasized that to date, 23 out of 66 tasks to combat IUU fishing have been completed, and the remaining tasks have been requested to continue efforts to completely resolve remaining limitations related to IUU fishing from now until November 20, 2025.

Minh Duc

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/phien-hop-thu-20-cua-ban-chi-dao-quoc-gia-ve-iuu-3383129.html