Going out to sea with the Fatherland (Final part)

Final:

Along with protecting aquatic resources, localities are tightening management of vessels at ports, raising awareness among fishermen, strengthening control and preventing IUU fishing... This is not only an immediate requirement to remove the warning "yellow card", but also a condition for building and developing a sustainable and responsible maritime industry.

Tighten control at ports

Early morning at Dong Tac fishing port ( Phu Yen ward), ships lined up on the wharf, preparing to go out to sea for fishing. Amidst the rush before departure, officers and soldiers of Da Rang Border Control Station were still diligently checking the voyage monitoring equipment (VMS), comparing fishing licenses, crew registration and labor numbers, and reminding fishermen to keep a voyage log. All control steps were carried out seriously and quickly, ensuring both safety and compliance with regulations.

Tuy Hoa Border Guard Station officers disseminate regulations against illegal fishing to fishermen.

Senior Lieutenant Phan Ngoc Duong, Head of Da Rang Border Control Station, said: "To prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, station officers not only propagate and mobilize ship owners and captains to comply with the law, but also require them to sign a commitment not to violate foreign waters. The station also strictly manages crew members and fishing vessels before entering and leaving ports, ensuring that fishing vessels have full documents and technical safety equipment according to regulations."

Along with the efforts of the authorities, fishermen themselves are also aware of their responsibilities on each trip. Mr. Mai Van Tam, a fisherman in Tuy Hoa ward, shared: “Complying with regulations against IUU fishing not only protects the reputation of Vietnam's fisheries but also protects the livelihoods and interests of millions of workers in the industry. Therefore, every time we go to sea, we are aware that we must be responsible fishermen and respect the law.”

"Removing the European Commission's "yellow card" on Vietnamese seafood is one of the province's key and urgent tasks at present. If not implemented effectively, this issue will directly affect the province's overall growth, people's livelihoods and social stability."

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thien Van

The tuna fishing industry in Dak Lak began in the early 1990s, making it one of the earliest origins of this industry in Vietnam. Tuy Hoa Ward alone currently has 340 vessels with 1,782 workers operating in fishing grounds bordering the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia - areas classified as high-risk for IUU violations. With a key role in combating IUU fishing, since the beginning of the year, Tuy Hoa Border Guard Station has approached more than 7,200 fishermen, instructed more than 1,400 ship owners and captains to sign a commitment to comply with the law, and reminded more than 1,100 vehicles operating near the sea border to maintain connection with their journey monitoring devices.

Captain Nguyen Minh Hoang, Deputy Political Commissar of Tuy Hoa Border Guard Station, informed: "In addition to propagating and mobilizing fishermen to comply with the law, monitoring fishing vessels through navigation devices, checking licenses and safety equipment, we also organize patrols, detect and handle violations according to regulations. In addition, more than 600 captains and vehicle owners were directly propagandized about regulations against IUU fishing, not participating in prohibited fishing activities, and protecting sustainable fisheries."

Join forces to remove the IUU "yellow card"

On October 23, 2017, the European Union (EU) officially issued a “yellow card” warning to Vietnam’s seafood, as it believed that there were still many violations related to IUU principles. This has created a major challenge for the country’s seafood industry, especially when the EU is one of the important export markets. To remove the “yellow card”, it requires the decisive, synchronous and persistent participation of the entire political system, functional sectors and each fisherman.

Currently, the whole province has 4 fishing ports and 11 traditional wharves. This is a great advantage for developing the marine economy but also a challenge in management. Lieutenant Colonel Do Trong Dai, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Dak Lak Border Guard Command, affirmed that the fight against IUU fishing still faces many difficulties. A number of fishermen have the habit of leaving the port from the beach, mainly going to sea for short periods, leading to loose control. Meanwhile, the border guard force is thin, patrol vehicles are limited, and the budget for maintaining control activities has not met the requirements. Coordination activities with sectors and localities are not regular, mainly focusing on peak periods, so the effectiveness is still uneven.

Localities and units signed a commitment to combat IUU fishing in the presence of provincial leaders and relevant departments and branches.

Localities and units signed a commitment to combat IUU fishing under the witness of provincial leaders and relevant departments and branches.

This reality shows that the efforts of the border guards alone are not enough. To manage closely, it is necessary to have the cooperation of specialized management agencies, authorities of coastal communes and wards, and awareness from each fisherman. Chairman of Tuy An Dong Commune People's Committee Tran Van Bien said: The commune has nearly 100 fishing vessels, of which about 2/3 are offshore fishing vessels. For many years, there have been no cases of fishing violations in foreign waters. In order to raise awareness among fishermen, the locality has implemented many solutions, focusing on propaganda, guidance, and support for fishermen to complete the prescribed procedures. Recently, the local government has organized fishermen, especially boat owners at risk of violating IUU, to sign a commitment to combat IUU fishing...

Obviously, if we only stop at the individual efforts of each force, it will be difficult to create fundamental changes. Therefore, the unified leadership role from the provincial leadership is considered the "key" to linking responsibilities, forcing each sector and each locality to participate synchronously. At a recent working session with representatives of departments, branches and 12 coastal communes and wards, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thien Van requested drastic and synchronous participation from all levels; requested heads of departments, branches, leaders of communes and wards to uphold the spirit of responsibility, promote the role of leaders, and directly direct the work of fighting IUU according to the motto "going to every alley, knocking on every door, reaching every fishing boat".

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee emphasized: "The inspection and handling work focuses on obvious violations such as: ships not registered, not installed with voyage monitoring equipment (VMS), not updating exploitation data or violating foreign waters; must be strictly managed from shore, from the base, not allowing lax management. Local leaders, communes and wards must take direct responsibility if violations occur within their management scope...".

More than ever, the cooperation between management forces, local authorities and fishermen themselves plays a decisive role. If each ship owner and captain is aware that violations not only bring temporary benefits but also hinder the overall development, the campaign to remove the “yellow card” will soon achieve results. And then, not only will the reputation of Vietnamese seafood be restored, but the local marine economy will also develop sustainably, creating stable and long-term livelihoods for fishermen.

In the first 6 months of the year, the rate of fishing vessels licensed and having technical safety certificates reached nearly 60%. The Department of Fisheries and Seas and Islands also promoted the re-issuance of documents, ensuring legality for fishermen when participating in exploitation. Legal propaganda work was carried out continuously in many forms such as distributing leaflets, information on the coastal radio system, and direct dissemination at ports and wharves, helping fishermen to be more aware of the consequences of IUU violations...

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/kinh-te/202509/vuon-khoi-cung-to-quoc-ky-cuoi-8f125a6/