Gov't fixes deadline to end illegal fishing in foreign waters
VGP – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered ministries, agencies and localities to coordinate in preventing and putting an end to illegal fishing in foreign waters before March 21, 2023.
Five years after the European Commission (EC) issued "yellow card" against seafood exports, Viet Nam has made great efforts in implementing the EC's recommendations to combat IUU fishing but many shortcomings still remain.
The Government chief made it clear that the eliminating IUU fishing will not only help remove the EC's yellow card but also ensure the sustainable development of the fisheries sector and demonstrate Viet Nam's responsibility for implementing international commitments in protection of marine environment and ecosystem.
Pham tasked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development – the standing agency of the National Steering Committee for IUU Prevention and Control to promptly design a 180-day action plan on IUU combat and submit to the Government for approval.
Pham requested the ministry to send teams to inspect IUU prevention and control to coastal provinces and cities, and timely provide guidelines for these localities to overcome shortcomings.
The provincial/municipal People's Committees of coastal localities must ensure that export of seafood products does not violate regulations on IUU prevention and control.
Since the imposition of the "yellow card" warning in 2017, all of the offshore fishing boats measuring at least 15 meters in length have been equipped with monitoring devices.
Viet Nam's seafood export reached a turnover of US$10 billion for the first time in January-November period and is expected to climb to $11 billion by the end of this year. Seafood export has fully recovered after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year, Viet Nam earned over US$1.4 billion from fishery exports to the EU, with US$ 420 million from seafood and US$980 million from aquaculture./.
