The 15th meeting of the National Steering Committee on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

Comrade Lai Van Hoan, Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Provincial Steering Committee on IUU attends the meeting at the provincial bridge point.

The meeting saw the participation of comrade Lai Van Hoan, Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Provincial Steering Committee on IUU; leaders of relevant departments, branches and localities at the provincial bridge point.

According to the report of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, after nearly 8 years of implementing measures to combat IUU fishing and recommending the removal of the EC's "yellow card" warning, conducting the directions of the Secretariat, the Government, the National Steering Committee has organized 14 meetings, many inspection teams in localities, advised on the issuance of one directive of the Secretariat, two directives and eight Official Telegrams of the Prime Minister.

With high political determination from the Central to local levels, the legal and institutional corridors have been consolidated and improved. The authorities have stepped up management, inspection and supervision by technological and administrative measures; resolutely handled violations; strengthened education, information and propaganda for the people; coordination and cooperation between agencies and localities have been closer and more effective; solutions have been found to promote aquaculture to limit fishing; beef up production and business, creating livelihoods for the people. Up to now, the work of perfecting legal regulations against IUU fishing, fleet management, and seafood traceability has basically met the requirements, according to the EU's assessment.

With that effort, the whole country now has 28,164 fishing vessels with a length of 15m or more installed with fishing vessel monitoring equipment, reaching a rate of 99.06%. This is an important step in the process of digitizing and making fishery management transparent. In addition, every week, localities review and update the list of fishing vessels at high risk of violating IUU fishing on the basis of fishing vessel monitoring data so that competent agencies can focus on inspecting, controlling, and handling violations (if any). The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment provides a list of fishing vessels of localities operating near the border, losing connection to monitoring fishing vessel journeys near the border with other countries to monitor and contact ship owners and captains to warn against violating IUU fishing, or exceeding the permitted fishing boundaries at sea.

Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested relevant ministries, branches and localities to continue to strictly control violators and resolutely handle them according to the provisions of the law. From there, strive to end illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by November 15, and handle those who do not comply according to the law.

Relevant ministries and branches make synchronous efforts from perfecting the law, tightening fleet management, strengthening supervision to boosting international cooperation in combating IUU fishing. This is considered not only a prerequisite to remove the European Commission's "yellow card", but also a strategic step to build a modern, sustainable, responsible Vietnamese fishery industry, making a positive contribution to the international community.

Coastal provinces and cities focus on researching and carrying out solutions to transform the status from offshore fishing to mainly aquaculture and seafood processing, developing a sustainable, long-term, strategic fishery industry, contributing to the country's development, improving the material and spiritual life of the people. The Party committees, authorities and the whole society, especially the heads of agencies, units and localities, must participate with a high spirit and responsibility, for the development of the country, the fishery industry and the interests of fishermen. To strictly implement regulations on inspection and control of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, entering and leaving ports through border stations, collecting and submitting fishing logs, monitoring the output loaded and unloaded through ports, and tracing the origin of aquatic products exploited at fishing ports; make a list of fishing vessels that are not qualified to operate, assign specific responsibilities to local authorities and functional forces to perform control measures, ensure that unqualified fishing vessels are not allowed to participate in activities...

The Prime Minister also requested the Ministry of National Defense to carry out peak patrol and control campaigns; direct functional forces to urgently complete the handling of fishing vessels that seriously violate IUU fishing practices, especially those that lose data connection to monitor fishing vessel journeys, cross borders, and illegally exploit in foreign waters.