Ba Ria-Vung Tau take action to fight IUU fishing
In line with coastal provinces across the country, Ba Ria – Vung Tau is actively combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The province is dedicated to supporting the national initiative to remove the EC’s “yellow card” while promoting sustainable fisheries development.
At the end of 2023, the Prime Minister criticized Ba Ria – Vung Tau for its lack of focus and coordination in implementing anti-IUU fishing measures. Consequently, the province is now taking decisive actions to promptly address outstanding issues as per the EC’s recommendations.
Mr. Nguyen Cong Vinh, Vice Chairman of the Ba Ria – Vung Tau Provincial People’s Committee, highlighted the effective coordination mechanism established among various agencies, departments, local governments, and law enforcement forces at sea. This collaboration allows stakeholders to monitor and access information regarding fishing vessels at sea, resulting in a significant reduction of illegal exploitation activities in international waters.
Notably, over 97 percent of fishing vessels with a minimum length of 15 meters in Ba Ria – Vung Tau province have installed vessel monitoring systems, and over 96 percent of local fishing vessels have obtained licenses for offshore fishing. Moreover, more than 85 percent of ‘3 no’ fishing vessels have been issued temporary registration numbers. Importantly, there have been no reports of fishing vessels engaging in illegal exploitation activities in international waters since August 2022.
The Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provincial Party Committee issued and implemented Resolution No. 12-NQ/TU, which facilitates the identification, inspection, and penalization of fishermen violating fishing regulations.
The province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has completed the review of its registered fishing vessel fleet and updated all relevant information into the national fishing vessel database. Additionally, two outstanding issues highlighted by the EC inspection team have been addressed, including administrative penalties totaling over 1.3 billion Vietnamese dong.
Regarding “3 no” fishing vessels, the Provincial People’s Committee has reviewed and compiled information on 1,081 vessels and directed the issuance of temporary registration numbers. As of March 31, 595 “3 no” fishing vessels have received temporary registration numbers, with the remaining scheduled to be issued by the end of April 2024.
Ba Ria – Vung Tau currently manages a fleet of 4,484 fishing vessels, including those authorized for export to Europe. Noteworthy statistics include 86 percent of registered fishing vessels, 99.74 percent certified for food safety, and 96.82 percent equipped with vessel monitoring systems.
Acknowledging the need for further action before the EC inspection team’s scheduled arrival in May 2024, Chairman Nguyen Van Tho emphasized the importance of thoroughness and determination. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien recently scored Ba Ria – Vung Tau’s anti-IUU efforts at six out of ten, reflecting the progress and areas for improvement. This evaluation aims to drive the province to address outstanding issues comprehensively.
“We must overcome difficulties with thoroughness and determination. The province will assign specific responsibilities for coordination to each local government and department, focusing on the management of vessels unqualified for offshore fishing activities,” emphasized Chairman Nguyen Van Tho.
