Action plan for peak month against illegal fishing

Peak month against illegal fishing. (Photo: VGP)

Resolutely and thoroughly handle violations of IUU regulations.

The decision clearly states the viewpoint of launching a peak period, resolutely and thoroughly handling violations of IUU regulations; preventing and not allowing fishing vessels to illegally exploit in foreign waters; striving to have no more violations of losing VMS connection for more than 6 hours without reporting position to shore, losing connection for more than 10 days without returning the vessel to shore, or exceeding the permitted boundary for exploitation at sea by November 15, 2025.

Focus on converting from banned fishing to other fishing occupations to protect aquatic resources, from fishing to aquaculture (especially high-tech marine aquaculture) and other occupations to ensure jobs, income and livelihoods for people; digital transformation, comprehensively digitizing the management process of aquatic exploitation activities on electronic platforms.

Determined to remove the "Yellow Card" warning

The objective of the Plan is to concentrate resources on implementing urgent and key tasks and solutions to thoroughly resolve existing problems and limitations in combating IUU fishing, implementing EC recommendations and preparing to work with the EC's 5th Inspection Team to ensure the best results, determined to remove the "Yellow Card" warning in this inspection.

Managing the exploitation and sustainable development of the fisheries sector, being responsible and internationally integrated for the benefit of the people and the nation; enhancing the position, image and international responsibility of Vietnam in implementing international commitments and treaties in protecting the marine environment and sustainable marine ecosystems; contributing to ensuring national defense, security and sovereignty over the seas and islands of the Fatherland.

Issue a plan to ensure 6 clear measures, apply modern technology to thoroughly and completely handle existing limitations in combating IUU fishing, and remove the EC's yellow card warning by 2025.

Tight control of fishing vessels and fishermen

Urgent and key tasks and solutions by November 15, 2025 are: Completing fisheries law regulations; fleet management; controlling fishing vessel activities; tracing the origin of exploited aquatic products; enforcing the law and handling violations.

Regarding the control of fishing vessel activities, the Prime Minister requested strict control of fishing vessels and fishermen at their place of residence, ensuring that the addresses of all vessel owners, fishermen and fishing vessel operating areas are clearly understood in connection with the national population database; applying the system for managing fishing vessels and fishermen entering and leaving ports on the VNeID platform to control all fishing vessels and fishermen leaving ports to participate in fishing activities and ending their voyages; applying the system for automatically reporting fishing vessel positions when the VMS system connection at sea is lost so that fishermen know to comply with legal regulations...

Synchronously deploy the electronic fishing logbook, purchasing and transport system (e-logbook) and the eCDT system at all fishing ports.

Regarding the traceability of exploited aquatic products, for domestically exploited aquatic products: Complete, guide, apply and synchronously deploy the system of exploitation logs, electronic purchase and transport logs (e-logbooks) and the eCDT system at all fishing ports (including private fishing ports); upgrade information technology infrastructure (desktop computers, tablets, internet connection) at fishing ports to support fishermen in updating data to the VNeID system, border guards, e-logbooks, and eCDT.

All fishermen, seafood purchasing facilities, processing enterprises, fishing ports and state management agencies of fisheries must monitor the volume of seafood unloaded through ports and traceability records of seafood on the e-logbook and eCDT systems.

Ensure that all fishing vessels with a length of 15m or more participating in fishing activities leave and dock on eCDT at fishing ports and use the electronic fishing log system according to the instructions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment .

For imported aquatic products exploited under the PSMA Agreement and by container ships: Establish contact channels with regional fisheries organizations, flag states, and license-granting countries to verify and compare information on vessel management, exploitation licenses, transshipment, etc.; arrange sufficient resources (funding, personnel, equipment, etc.) to check records, monitor the volume and species composition of imported aquatic products at seaports, at seafood processing and exporting factories; purchase information, access international databases to verify and compare information on vessels and aquatic products exploited and imported into Vietnam, etc.

HA THANH GIANG

Source: https://nhandan.vn/ke-hoach-hanh-dong-thang-cao-diem-chong-khai-thac-hai-san-bat-hop-phap-post916952.html