Soc Trang prepares well to welcome the 5th EC inspection delegation

STO - On June 3, at the People's Committee of Soc Trang province, Comrade Vuong Quoc Nam - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee held a meeting to listen to the report of the Department of Agriculture and Environment on the results of overcoming the work of combating IUU fishing, preparing to welcome the 5th EC inspection delegation in Soc Trang province. Attending were leaders of relevant departments and branches; leaders of People's Committees of coastal communes and districts in Soc Trang province.

Scene of the meeting on the results of overcoming IUU fishing, preparing to welcome the 5th EC inspection delegation in Soc Trang province. Photo: THUY LIEU

According to the Soc Trang Fisheries Sub-Department, up to now, the province has a total of 792 vessels, of which 341 fishing vessels with the longest length of 15m or more have been fully updated in the national fisheries database VNFishbase; the number of fishing vessels that have completed registration and granted fishing licenses is 792/792, reaching 100%, 341/341 fishing vessels have installed voyage monitoring devices, reaching 100%; data on each fishing vessel has been updated on the VNFisbase and VMS databases linked to the VNeID population database, reaching 100%. Regarding the prevention and handling of fishing vessels violating foreign waters, localities have taken the lead in coordinating with the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment and relevant units to compile a list of 13 fishing vessels (ship owners) at high risk of violating foreign waters; organize direct propaganda and mobilization of ship owners and have them sign a commitment not to violate...

Since the beginning of 2024, there have been no fishing vessels in Soc Trang province illegally exploiting seafood in foreign waters, or fishing vessels crossing the border to operate in foreign waters. Regarding the handling of fishing vessels violating the regulations on the voyage monitoring system (VMS), completing the dossier and deciding to sanction 15 fishing vessels with a length of 24m or more that lost VMS connection for more than 6 hours at sea and did not report their location to shore, without being sanctioned according to regulations. Completing the dossier and deciding to sanction 318 fishing vessels with a length of 15m - <24m that lost VMS connection for more than 6 hours at sea and did not report their location to shore many times (5 times or more).

Delegates informed about the reasons for each locality's fishing vessel to stop operating; the work of reviewing fishing vessels in the locality; the number of offshore and nearshore fishing vessels in the locality; understanding the reasons for fishing vessels losing connection while fishing at sea; propaganda work to ship owners about combating IUU fishing; the work of granting and extending licenses for fishing vessels; the work of checking documents of fishing vessels when leaving port to fish at sea...

Comrade Vuong Quoc Nam commented that, through the reports of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment and related units, the units have done a good job in combating IUU fishing, as well as preparing well for the 5th EC inspection delegation. He requested the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment to continue to review and manage fishing vessels operating at sea, not to allow illegal exploitation in foreign waters; strengthen patrols and inspections of fishing vessels at sea; advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue a policy plan to support fishing vessels that are not qualified to exploit aquatic products to switch to other occupations to ensure jobs, income and livelihoods; make a list of establishments purchasing exploited aquatic products for management...

THUY LIEU

Source: https://baosoctrang.org.vn/tin-moi/202506/soc-trang-chuan-tot-cong-tac-don-doan-thanh-tra-ec-lan-thu-5-eef6476/