Prime Minister: Fight against IUU fishing for the honor of the country and people of Vietnam

The Prime Minister emphasized that combating IUU fishing is not just about removing the EC's IUU "yellow card" but also about establishing order, strictly managing fishing fleets, and creating conditions for development.

On the afternoon of September 23, concluding the 14th meeting of the National Steering Committee on Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU Steering Committee), held online with 21 coastal provinces and cities, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that combating IUU fishing is not only to remove the IUU yellow card but also to develop sustainable fisheries; protect the prestige and honor of the country and people of Vietnam.

According to the Steering Committee, after the European Commission (EC) issued an IUU "yellow card" warning for seafood, Vietnam has made many efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in order to remove the IUU "yellow card".

The Secretariat has issued a Directive; the Government and the National Steering Committee on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing have organized 13 meetings, 4 inspection teams in localities, advised on the issuance of 1 Directive of the Secretariat, 2 Directives and 8 Official Dispatches of the Prime Minister to direct ministries, branches and coastal localities to carry out the work of combating IUU fishing and recommended the EC's "yellow card" warning.

In particular, many strong measures have been taken, even prosecuting, prosecuting, and bringing to trial IUU fishing violations, creating deterrence and education in the coastal fishing community.

Up to now, the work of perfecting legal regulations against IUU fishing, fleet management, and traceability has basically met the EC's requirements; the work of combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing has had positive results; the number of Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermen violating illegal fishing in foreign waters has decreased compared to 2024. However, in recent times, some wrongdoings, especially fishing vessels and fishermen violating foreign waters, still occur.

With specific evidence, delegates said that the main reasons are that there are still loopholes in the management and control of fishing vessels; law enforcement and handling of serious violations of IUU fishing are still weak, inconsistent and not comprehensive; handling of violations is slow or overlooked; heads of some agencies and localities are not determined to fight IUU fishing; fishermen's awareness of this issue is limited... Therefore, it is necessary to overcome the above limitations to remove the EC's IUU "yellow card" warning.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs the 14th meeting of the National Steering Committee on Combating Illegal Fishing. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the fight against IUU fishing is not only to remove the EC's "yellow card" but also to establish order, strictly manage fishing fleets and create conditions for development; develop sustainable, safe, sustainable, long-term, legal fisheries, linked to production, business, job creation and livelihoods of the people; transform the state from mainly offshore fishing to aquaculture and seafood processing based on Vietnam's potential and strengths to improve production safety, contribute to protecting the environment and aquatic resources; at the same time protect the prestige and honor of the country and people of Vietnam; contribute to protecting national independence and sovereignty at sea.

Believing that along with declaring war on IUU fishing, it is necessary to develop the fisheries industry in the long term, for the benefit of the country, the fisheries industry, and the people, the Prime Minister requested high determination, great efforts, and drastic actions; with innovative thinking, a fundamental, methodical, comprehensive, holistic, and long-term approach to the problem.

Pointing out the limitations and shortcomings in combating IUU fishing, the Prime Minister said that the reasons were due to the lack of determination and closeness in the leadership, direction, management and implementation of Party committees and authorities at all levels, especially leaders at the grassroots level; the awareness of law compliance of a part of the people was still limited, even having a coping mindset; the fisheries infrastructure, fisheries control, exploitation and traceability did not meet the requirements; a part of fishing vessels did not meet the requirements on technical equipment; inspection, detection and handling work was not regular and continuous.

Emphasizing that combating IUU fishing is an important, urgent issue of immediate and long-term significance for the development of the fisheries industry, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that this task is the responsibility of all levels and sectors, first of all the responsibility of Party committees, authorities, the Fatherland Front, the political system, especially leaders at the grassroots level and the people.

With the goal of removing the IUU "yellow card" by 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested relevant ministries and branches, especially the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and localities to review institutions, propose issuing appropriate legal documents to remove all related legal obstacles; urgently complete the Steering Committee on combating IUU fishing at all levels; establish a Working Group headed by a Deputy Minister of Public Security to coordinate with the Supreme People's Procuracy, the Supreme People's Court and localities to thoroughly handle related cases.

The Steering Committee must closely monitor, urge and organize weekly reviews of the situation against IUU fishing; digitize the management of all fishing vessels and fishing activities of fishing vessels, connect the database with the population database of the Ministry of Public Security, and must be completed by October 15 at the latest.

Representatives of ministries and sectors attended the 14th meeting of the National Steering Committee on combating illegal fishing. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

The Prime Minister assigned the Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and cities to review and urgently grant management and operation licenses to more than 9,000 fishing vessels that have not been allowed to operate, to be completed before October 15; the Border Guard Command to control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, and control vessels that arbitrarily disconnect from VMS; the Ministry of Industry and Trade to preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and localities to trace the origin of aquatic products; the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security to thoroughly handle violations related to IUU fishing.

For ships that are no longer allowed to go to sea and fishermen who have no jobs, the Prime Minister requested localities to review and propose the State to support people with food; organize job conversion, create jobs and livelihoods for people; and study credit packages to support people in changing careers.

The Head of the Government assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, ministries, branches and coastal localities to continue directing the strict implementation of Directive No. 32-CT/TW of the Secretariat, Resolution No. 52/NQ-CP of the Government, Resolution No. 04/2024/NQ-HDTP of the Council of Judges of the Supreme People's Court, and the instructions of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister - Head of the National Steering Committee; prepare reports well and organize a working delegation to work with the EC to clarify and agree on the contents that need to be implemented to fully meet the requirements of removing the EC's "yellow card".

Along with that, continue to preside over and coordinate with ministries and branches to inspect and urge localities to promptly rectify and thoroughly handle IUU fishing violations, especially fishing vessels violating serious IUU fishing acts, in key localities such as: Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Ho Chi Minh City, Vinh Long, Ca Mau, An Giang...

The Ministry of National Defense increases resources to control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, patrol, inspect, and thoroughly handle fishing vessels that are not qualified to participate in fishing activities on flats, river mouths, seaports, islands, etc.; conduct peak patrols and controls in sea areas bordering countries to ensure that no fishing vessels violate foreign waters; direct functional forces to urgently complete the handling of fishing vessels that violate serious IUU fishing practices: losing connection to the fishing vessel monitoring system (VMS), crossing the border, and illegally fishing in foreign waters.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall promptly provide detailed information on fishing vessels and fishermen detained by foreign countries in 2024 and 2025 at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment so that competent domestic agencies can handle them in accordance with the law; promote negotiations on boundary demarcation and exploitation cooperation with neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Ministry of Public Security shall compile a list and conduct an investigation of fishermen who have violated foreign waters and have been returned to the country to identify and thoroughly handle brokerage lines that send fishing vessels and fishermen to illegally exploit abroad; and direct the completion of criminal handling of violations according to the provisions of Resolution No. 04/2024/NQ-HDTP of the Council of Judges of the Supreme People's Court.

The Ministry of Science and Technology reviews and evaluates the quality of satellite services provided for the VMS system; strengthens inspection and supervision of satellite service quality.

In particular, the Prime Minister requested that the Chairmen of the People's Committees of coastal provinces and cities be responsible before the Government and the Prime Minister if they fail to complete the tasks of combating IUU fishing in their localities, negatively affecting the common efforts to remove the EC's "yellow card" warning on Vietnam's fisheries.

Specifically, it is necessary to urgently focus on leadership, direction and resource allocation to synchronously deploy anti-IUU fishing measures to prevent and prevent fishing vessels from illegally fishing in foreign waters; thoroughly punish fishing vessels that violate serious IUU fishing acts: losing VMS connection, crossing boundaries and violating foreign waters from 2024 to present.

Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and cities shall strictly implement regulations on inspection and control of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, exiting and entering ports through border stations, collecting and submitting fishing logs, monitoring the output loaded and unloaded through ports, tracing the origin of aquatic products exploited at fishing ports; making a list of fishing vessels that are not qualified to operate, assigning specific responsibilities to local authorities and functional forces to implement control measures, ensuring that unqualified fishing vessels are not allowed to participate in activities.

The Prime Minister requested associations and enterprises to continue to seriously implement regulations on combating IUU fishing; strictly prohibit the purchase, processing and export of aquatic products originating from IUU fishing; proactively coordinate closely with competent authorities in investigating, verifying and strictly handling organizations, individuals and aquatic enterprises that conduct illegal business, legalize documents, assist and condone IUU acts; continue to mobilize and commend exemplary members and fishermen who properly implement regulations on preventing and combating IUU fishing./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/thu-tuong-chong-khai-thac-iuu-vi-danh-du-dat-nuoc-con-nguoi-viet-nam-post1063553.vnp