The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has been quoted by local media as emphasizing that Vietnam has spared no effort in implementing the recommendations made by the European Commission (EC) to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and is ready for its fourth inspection later this month.
MARD has closely coordinated with National Assembly (NA)’s committees and government agencies to integrate the EC regulations into domestic law.
Earlier, the government proposed that the NA approve the Law on Fisheries, in November 2017, and issued two decrees. MARD, meanwhile, issued eight guiding circulars. As a result, the legal framework was basically completed in 2019, thus meeting requirements for the fight against IUU fishing in all of Vietnam’s 28 coastal cities and provinces.
Furthermore, the legal framework has been continuously reviewed, amended, and supplemented in line with actual circumstances and international regulations, as recommended by the EC during its third inspection.
Meanwhile, MARD has proposed a number of programs, projects, and plans on the sustainable development of the fisheries sector and the fight against IUU fishing to the Prime Minister for approval.
According to MARD, the Prime Minister has also directed coastal localities to review their fishing fleets and upgrade their data and information in the National Fisheries Database (VNFishbase).
Twenty-six of the 28 coastal localities have now completed a review of their fishing fleets.
To date, 97.65 per cent of fishing vessels nationwide with a length of 15 meters or more have been equipped with a vessel monitoring system (VMS). The remainder are under supervision.
MARD was quoted as saying that the fight against IUU fishing has seen the engagement of border guards and law enforcement forces at sea, among others, adding that there have been no cases of Vietnamese fishing vessels encroaching upon foreign waters reported so far this year.
According to the ministry, seafood traceability has been identified under the Law on Fisheries and the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA).
In terms of administrative punishment by localities and functional agencies, 2,111 cases of violations have been sanctioned since the beginning of this year, with fines totaling VND44 billion ($1.8 million), MARD said.
To promote international cooperation in fighting IUU fishing, Vietnam has signed the Joint Communiqué on Voluntary International Cooperation to Combat IUU Fishing and to Promote Sustainable Fisheries Governance with Indonesia, an MoU on the use of a hotline to deal with IUU fishing with Brunei, and other documents with Australia and the US.
Vietnam is negotiating to sign similar agreements with countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia, while effectively implementing one with the Philippines.
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