All "three nos" fishing vessels must be registered in November
VGP – All "three nos" fishing vessels must be registered with local authorities in November this year, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has ordered.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha chairs a meeting of the National Steering Committee on Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Prevention and Control, Ca Mau province, October 17, 2024 - Photo: VGP
Tran made the above order while presiding over a meeting with leaders of Ca Mau, Tien Giang, Kien Giang, Soc Trang, Ben Tre, Bac Lieu and Binh Dinh province on October 17.
He urged local police forces to coordinate with the local agriculture sector and communal-level authorities to identify "three nos" fishing vessels, request the owners of fishing vessels to register vessels with local authorities and update the registered vessels on fishing vessel database.
Tran also tasked the Directorate of Fisheries to coordinate with law enforcement forces to crack down on "three nos" vessels at sea.
The Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development need to coordinate in integrating fishing vessel data into the national population database, requested the Deputy Prime Minister.
He also requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to put forward mechanisms and policies to assist the owners of fishing vessels to purchase and install vessel monitoring system (VMS) on fishing vessels
Tran tasked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to adopt sanctions against those who intentionally switch off the VMS or uninstall the device and leave on other vessels.
The issue of "three nos" fishing vessels (unregistered, uninspected, and lacking a fishing license) is not only a challenge for Viet Nam but also a concern for global efforts to control illegal fishing activities, according to the Directorate of Fisheries.
For fishermen, registering their boats not only ensures their safety during fishing operations but also provides them with access to state support policies, such as fishing boat insurance, assistance during maritime risks, or preferential credit programs to upgrade their vessels.
From a management perspective, having legally registered boats will help authorities better control fishing activities, prevent overfishing, and establish a solid foundation for the sustainable protection and development of aquatic resources. This is also an important basis for Viet Nam to reaffirm its commitment to combating IUU fishing, thereby maintaining and expanding its seafood export markets, especially in the European Union.
The European Commission (EC) issued a "yellow card" warning against Viet Nam's seafood exports in 2017. Since then, the value of Viet Nam's seafood exports to the EU market has decreased by an average of 6-10 percent per year.
Over the past seven years, the EC has conducted four inspection rounds on IUU fishing combat in Viet Nam. During the inspection tours, the EC has acknowledged and highly appreciated the strong political determination and efforts of the Government of Viet Nam and the Prime Minister, as well as Viet Nam's specific actions in combating IUU fishing.
As part of the efforts to prepare for the EC's upcoming examination, the Government has issued two decrees specifying a number of regulations in the Fisheries Law, as well as administrative punishments in the field.
On April 10, 2024, the Party Central Committee's Secretariat issued a Directive on strengthening the Party's leadership over IUU fishing combat and promoting the sustainable development of the fisheries sector.
The promulgation of these legal documents demonstrates Viet Nam's strong political determination to create a comprehensive legal framework for IUU combat following the EC's recommendations.
According to the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), seafood exports in the first nine months of the year reached US$7.16 billion, an increase of 8.5 percent compared to the same period last year./.
