Vietnam pledges to step up collaboration efforts with the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre (SEAFDEC)’s member nations in preventing and detering illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, according to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam.

The meeting opened in Nha Trang city on April 4.

At the event, Tam said Vietnam has closely collaborated with regional countries in building a dialogue mechanism to exchange information and resolve issues relating to fishing activities in each other’s territorial waters, in a spirit of friendship and humanity.

The prevention of IUU fishing should include the factors that ensure the safety of fishing boats and fishermen at sea, he added.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of SEAFDEC expressed that bilateral and sub-regional cooperation plays an important role to effectively deal with illegal fishing.

SEAFDEC is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1967 to promote fishery development in Southeast Asia. The meeting of the SEAFDEC Council is organised annually, alternating its location among the member nations.

This year, the event attracted over 100 representatives from the ten Southeast Asian nations, along with Japan.

Alongside the issue of IUU fishing prevention, participants will also discuss concerns relating to fishery industry promotion, sustainable fish stocking, post-harvest conservation, and aquatic resource management.

The event runs until April 8.

VNA