Fishing boats of Vietnam.

The Government leader recently chaired a teleconference on the prevention of IUU fishing so as to have the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.

According to the Government Office, the PM requested that fishing boats’ violation of foreign sea areas be eradicated by the end of this year.

He asked the national steering committee for IUU fishing prevention to order ministries, sectors, and localities to carry out solutions in a drastic and uniform manner.

The Ministry of National Defence has to coordinate with relevant agencies, ministries, and sectors, and the People’s Committees of the 28 coastal provincial-level localities to increase examination and strictly control fishing boats’ activities, especially in overlapping or undemarcated waters between Vietnam and other countries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked with working with related sides to advise the Government about plans to negotiate with the countries sharing overlapping or undemarcated sea areas with Vietnam so as to identify the boundary for legal activities by Vietnamese fishing boats. It is also told to proactively grasp the situation and collect information and evidence in the countries detaining violating fishing boats from Vietnam, while pushing ahead with the protection of fishermen arrested overseas.

The Ministry of Public Security is assigned with boosting the investigation and settlement of the rings brokering illegal fishing in foreign waters.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) needs to keep overhauling legal institutions and framework to strictly manage fisheries exploitation.

Cooperation in fisheries and the IUU fishing combat between Vietnam and other countries, regional and international fisheries societies needs to be further enhanced. Besides, Vietnam will fulfill its obligations and commitments to the international agreements and treaties on fisheries to which it is a party.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment is requested to allocate part of the medium-term public investment capital for 2021 - 2025 and other fundings to building and upgrading fisheries infrastructure, fishing ports, and storm shelters for boats, and developing a modern fisheries management system.

The Ministry of Finance should prioritise funding for relevant agencies, ministries, sectors, and localities to carry out programmes and plans on anti-IUU fishing.

The Ministry of Transport has to work with the MARD and other related ministries to examine seafood imported into Vietnam.

In addition, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs must team up with the MARD to devise a vocational training programme and manage fishery workers in line with domestic and international labour regulations./.

Source: VNA

The 'test' for the future of seafood exports

If Vietnam does not focus on removing the IUU (Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing) yellow card and violations continue, it is very likely that the EC will switch from yellow card to red card.