Resolutely implement measures to combat IUU fishing

On the afternoon of September 23, Comrade Pham Minh Chinh, Politburo member and Prime Minister chaired the 14th meeting of the National Steering Committee on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing). Attending the meeting were Party Central Committee members: Tran Hong Ha, Deputy Prime Minister; Tran Duc Thang, Acting Minister of Agriculture and Environment; and leaders of several ministries, departments and branches that are members of the National Steering Committee on IUU.

Delegates attend the online conference at the Ninh Binh province bridge.

Attending the online conference at Ninh Binh province were comrades: Pham Quang Ngoc, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Tran Anh Dung, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; leaders of a number of departments, branches and sectors, members of the Provincial Steering Committee for Combating IUU Fishing.

Currently, the country has 81,394 fishing vessels with a length of 6m or more registered and updated to the national fisheries database. Implementing the Government's direction, ministries, branches, and localities have organized inter-sectoral working groups to inspect the situation of combating IUU fishing. Accordingly, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment focuses on urging and guiding the handling of serious violations of disconnecting the vessel monitoring device (VMS), exceeding the permitted fishing boundary at sea, and violating illegal fishing in foreign waters; the Ministry of National Defense continues to maintain 29-33 vessels in the waters bordering other countries; research plans to place backup information rescue equipment at an island point, patrol boats to be ready to support inspections and replace VMS equipment for fishermen.

The Ministry of Public Security directed units and localities to carry out tasks to contribute to removing the "Yellow Card" warning of the European Commission; step up investigation to prosecute, prosecute and bring to trial criminal cases related to IUU fishing violations; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested countries in the region to handle the situation of Vietnamese fishing vessels violating IUU fishing; the Ministry of Science and Technology directed enterprises providing mobile satellite services to use for the operation of VMS equipment to ensure continuity...

Implementing the direction of the Government, the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Ninh Binh province has seriously and drastically implemented Directive No. 32-CT/TW dated April 10, 2024 of the Secretariat, Decisions and Official Dispatches of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

The Provincial People's Committee has issued many documents directing departments, branches and coastal localities, in which the heads of Party committees and authorities must be responsible to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee if IUU fishing violations occur in the locality; established a Steering Committee to combat IUU fishing; established an Inspection Team for the province's anti-IUU fishing work; at the same time, conducted inspections of coastal units and localities to promptly urge, rectify, give directions to overcome and improve the effectiveness of anti-IUU fishing work in the province.

The whole province has registered 1,360/1,360 fishing vessels with the longest length of 6m or more, updated information into the national fisheries database, reaching 100%. 100% of registered fishing vessels have their registration numbers written and marked according to regulations...

Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the goal of ending IUU fishing so that the EU can remove the "Yellow Card" warning. The Prime Minister noted that in October 2025, the EC inspection team will come to Vietnam to conduct an IUU inspection.

In the context of the Vietnamese seafood market being at risk of shrinking and facing difficulties due to changes in the world situation, the EC's withdrawal of the IUU yellow card will help Vietnamese seafood regain and expand its market, helping people increase their income. Therefore, the Prime Minister requested that IUU fishing must be stopped.

After clarifying the causes and proposing drastic solutions, in the spirit of "having said it, we must do it, having committed to it, we must implement it effectively", the Prime Minister requested ministries, branches, provinces and cities to strictly implement Directive No. 32-CT/TW dated April 10, 2024 of the Secretariat on strengthening the Party's leadership in combating IUU fishing. There must be fundamental, methodical solutions, proactive, not reactive... for the benefit of the nation, people, especially fishermen.

Party committees, authorities and people, especially fishermen, must participate with a high sense of responsibility. Reviewing the institutions, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to advise the Government to issue a new resolution and strengthen the Steering Committee on IUU at all levels. Establish a working group to thoroughly handle cases of violations by individuals and organizations before October 15. Every week, the National Steering Committee on IUU meets to review the responsibilities of ministries, branches and localities and has timely solutions.

Leaders of People's Committees of provinces and cities are responsible to the Prime Minister if IUU fishing violations occur in their localities.

The Prime Minister assigned Viettel Telecom Group to complete the digitalization of all IUU fishing management before October 15, facilitating the management and direction of all levels, sectors and localities. Actively promote and mobilize people to understand and raise their spirit and responsibility to strictly implement regulations on combating IUU fishing, contributing to removing the "Yellow Card" warning for Vietnamese seafood.
News and photos: Van Dai - Manh Hung

Source: https://baoninhbinh.org.vn/quyet-liet-trien-khai-cac-bien-phap-chong-khai-thac-iuu-250923183448551.html