Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to take drastic action against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and to protect seafood resources.

He made the call at a teleconference on October 7 to seek solutions to fight IUU fishing and make preparations for the upcoming fourth inspection of Vietnam’s efforts in this regard by the European Commission (EC).

The EC team is scheduled to visit from October 10-18.

Prime Minister Chinh emphasized that recommendations from other countries and organizations on fisheries exploitation must be seriously observed, while new IUU fishing violations and incidents must be prevented.

The government leader noted it is important to closely link maritime economic development with safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity and respecting international laws.

He called for improvements in public awareness regarding law enforcement and environmental protection and for the creation of livelihoods and employment opportunities, with a focus on increasing aquaculture and processing and reducing fishing.