VASEP releases White Book on illegal fishing

Illustration photo

The announcement was made while VASEP celebrated the fishery sector’s completion of its export target of US$ 8 billion in 2017.

The bilingual book, in Vietnamese and English, has five chapters, providing detailed information about Viet Nam’s fishery sector and regulations on IUU fishing and enforcement in the country. 

The book also reported on Viet Nam’s efforts to remove the warning under the European Commission’s “yellow card”, the Vietnamese Government’s long-term action plan against IUU fishing, and recommendations made by stakeholders in the seafood value chain. 

VASEP Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thu Sac was quoted as saying that the publication devotes one chapter to underline the viewpoint and the message of zero tolerance for seafood sourced from IUU fishing from VASEP and Vietnamese seafood businesses. 

According to the White Book, VASEP and seafood enterprises are ready and resolved to team up with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), as well as relevant parties to implement the action plan.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam hailed the VASEP’s release of the white book as a useful initiative in the communication campaign against IUU fishing. 

The book is expected to help the EC gain a better understanding of the local fishery sector and the country’s efforts to improve the IUU situation, thus soon withdrawing its “yellow card”, he said./.

By Kim Loan