Removing the IUU “yellow card”: A journey of nearly 6 years and the hope of soon reaping “sweet fruit”

On October 23, 2017, the European Commission (EC) issued a warning against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing) to Vietnam.

Immediately after the EC issued the IUU “yellow card” warning, the Government, ministries, departments and sectors rushed into action. On May 20, 2019, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 596/QD-TTg on the establishment of the National Steering Committee on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (hereinafter referred to as the National Steering Committee on IUU).

In 2018 and 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued and submitted documents guiding the implementation of the 2017 Fisheries Law, including 02 Decrees of the Government, 01 Decision of the Prime Minister, and 08 Circulars of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The documents guiding the implementation of the 2017 Fisheries Law have been developed to ensure compatibility with international regulations. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has also issued 13 Decisions approving programs and plans on combating IUU fishing, 28 documents directing, urging, and guiding localities to overcome shortcomings in combating IUU fishing, etc.

The Committees, ministries and branches including the Central Propaganda Department and the Ministries of National Defense, Public Security, Foreign Affairs, Information and Communications... according to their assigned functions and tasks have developed plans, solutions and organized the implementation of the Fisheries Law, resolutions, directives, telegrams, decisions and directions of the Government and Prime Minister on combating IUU fishing; regularly grasp foreign information and the EC's moves on Vietnam's anti-IUU fishing work, report to the Prime Minister and the Committees, ministries and branches to promptly grasp the situation and propose solutions for implementation.

The Central Propaganda Department has developed guidelines for annual propaganda work on seas and islands, with one of the propaganda focuses from 2017 to present being the issue of preventing, combating and eventually ending IUU fishing; regularly directing and orienting domestic press information, public opinion and foreign information on the content and ways to solve Vietnam's anti-IUU fishing issues, the issue of Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermen being arrested and handled by foreign countries;...

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