Efforts increased to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

Fishing boats docked at Cà Ty River of Bình Thuận Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Đạt

BẾN TRE/BÌNH THUẬN — The southern province of Bến Tre is intensifying its efforts to meet the requirements for fishing vessel registration and fishing licensing as part of efforts to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Currently, 86.7 per cent of local fishing vessels have been registered and 82 per cent granted fishing licences. The rate of vessels equipped with VMS (vessel monitoring system) devices has reached 98.62 per cent.

The total number of ‘three no’s’ boats – vessels with no registration, no licence and no inspection – is put at 1,149, of which 317 have registered, while authorities have inspected and guided 543 others in undertaking registration procedures.

Nguyễn Minh Cảnh, Deputy Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, emphasised that the province will continue to implement drastic measures to address shortcomings and prepare for the EU’s upcoming inspection delegation.

He said Bến Tre is intensifying educational activities targeting fishermen on legal requirements and IUU violations.

Fishermen, boat owners and their families are required to sign commitments acknowledging the resolution and pledging not to engage in IUU fishing or infringe into foreign waters.

To further enhance compliance, Bến Tre is expanding its outreach to boat owners through targeted communications, particularly focusing on high-risk vessels suspected of violating foreign waters.

Each vessel owner will be directly supported by a local official or party member to ensure effective monitoring and management.

The province is also focusing on the management of ‘three no’s’ boats in line with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s guidelines and is enforcing strict penalties for violations.

Bến Tre will maintain strict monitoring of all off-shore fishing vessels, especially those operating in offshore areas and high-risk zones.

The province is committed to preventing violations of foreign waters by coordinating closely with authorised forces to address issues, in real-time, at sea.

Additionally, the province facilitates effective operations of its fisheries control teams, ensuring rigorous inspection of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, monitoring catch volumes and tracing the origin of seafood.

The implementation of electronic logs and database systems is underway to facilitate easier storage, tracking and management of fishing data.

Since 2022, Bến Tre has implemented a strategy assigning local officials and party members to oversee high-risk fishing vessels. Currently, 237 officials are directly responsible for 356 vessel owners, managing a total of 506 boats in the province.

Meanwhile, the south-central province of Bình Thuận is also tightening its grip on IUU fishing ahead of the crucial inspection by the European Commission (EC).

Local departments, agencies, and authorities have been ordered to take decisive actions against IUU fishing, particularly during the peak months of August and September.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyễn Hồng Hải has stressed the urgent need to complete the registration and licensing of all fishing vessels by September 15.

In case of lost communication at sea, the local fishing vessel monitoring centre must analyse the cause and provide a clear conclusion to guide appropriate action, he said, calling for immediate repairs and upgrades to deteriorating fishing port infrastructure, ensuring that ports maintain high standards of environmental sanitation.

Nguyễn Văn Chiến, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, highlighted the significant strides Bình Thuận has made in implementing the EC’s recommendations to have the IUU yellow card warning lifted.

The province has rigorously taken measures to prevent and end fishing vessel violations in foreign waters. it has reported no incidents of such violations since mid-2023, a testament to the effectiveness of its stringent policies, he said.

Bình Thuận has also made substantial headway in registering its fishing fleet, with 71 per cent of the vessels now officially permitted to operate.

In a concerted effort to tackle the issue of so-called ghost ships – vessels operating without proper documentation – it has temporarily registered nearly all of them. So far, 1,370 fishing vessels have been assisted in completing the necessary paperwork for official registration.

To enhance monitoring capabilities, the province has installed tracking devices on all the fishing vessels measuring over 15 metres in length and meticulously monitored over 21,100 tonnes of seafood landed at local ports.

Stringent penalties have also been in place, with fines issued in 283 cases of IUU fishing violations. — VNS