Thanh Hoa (VNA) – The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the north-central province of Thanh Hoa has taken a series of measures to strictly handle organisations and individuals that broker and bring fishing vessels to illegally exploit seafood in foreign waters as part of its efforts to combat combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. 

The move also aims to ensure the safety of local fishermen and fishing vessels.

According to a report by the provincial Fisheries Sub-Department, in the first eight months of 2022, the province recorded eight accidents at sea caused by high waves and strong winds, electric shock and fires, damaging six ships with a total loss of about 3.3 billion VND (over 141,000 USD). 

Le Ba Luc, from the sub-department, said to ensure the safety of people and fishing vessels engaged in fishing activities, the sector has paid attention to strengthening management of fishing vessels, including strictly controlling ship-building and the lease and purchase of fishing vessels in accordance with quotas of fishing licenses in coastal and maritime zones.

The vessel monitoring systems (VMS) are operated 24/24 hours to monitor and promptly provide information and warnings related to the weather to fishing vessels operating at sea, contributing to guiding fishermen to find safe shelters for vessels to avoid storms, and connect with and ask for support from relevant authorities in case of emergency. 

Technical safety inspection of fishing vessels will be strengthened, ensuring 100% of fishing vessels are granted technical safety certificates, Luc said. 

Owners and captains of fishing vessels have been advised to follow safety rules in operating vessels as well as strictly performing annual technical safety inspection, he added. 

According to Luc, a project is being implemented to help nearly 400 seafood exploitation groups improve the efficiency of production and fishing at sea, and their response to relevant accidents and risks.

The sub-department, border force and coastal localities, and Lach Hoi, Lach Bang and Hoa Loc fishing ports, are intensifying their inspection of ships operating at sea, and controlling over fishing vessels entering and leaving ports. 

Fishing vessels are required to be registered, and fully equipped with safety fire prevention and fighting equipment, and those for crew members.

All fishing boats with a length of 15m and more must be installed vessel monitoring systems (VMS) devices.

Vietnam is intensifying the long-term efforts that it has made over the past more than four years to combat IUU fishing for a sustainable fishery sector and the lifting of the European Commission's "yellow card" warning against the country's seafood products.

Stopping IUU fishing has been defined as the responsibility of not only fishermen and fishery firms, but the whole political system with an aim to increase the prestige of the fishery sector and Vietnam in the world arena.

Therefore, raising fishermen's awareness of legal fishing has been seen as the first and foremost task, especially when traditional practices have been entrenched in them for generations.

Over the year, the Ministry of National Defence has taken the lead in educating fishermen on sustainable fishing by coordinating with other forces, sectors and localities to popularise related legal regulations to fishermen.

The ministry’s steering committee on IUU fishing combat has guided relevant units to continue with the work this year in collaboration with authorised agencies.

As part of efforts to combat IUU fishing, 28 coastal provinces and cities have taken prompt measures to implement tasks given by the national steering committee for 2022.

They intensify educational activities to ensure that all local officials and residents thoroughly understand regulations and laws related to sustainable fisheries development and IUU fishing./.