Agriculture Ministry to build Action plan against IUU fishing: Prime Minister: Border guards of Quang Ninh province popularise fisheries law to local fishermen. (Photo: VNA)

MARD, the Standing Board of the National Steering Committee on IUU Prevention and Control, was also asked to deploy inter-sectoral inspection teams to coastal localities to examine the implementation of regulations against IUU fishing and give guidelines on the settlements of problems, according to a Government Office’s notice on the conclusion of Prime Minister Chinh at a recent conference on IUU fishing.

In his conclusion, the Prime Minister underlined that removing the EC’s “yellow card” is to boost the sustainable development of the domestic fisheries sector, ensure the interest of the nation and people, improve the image of Vietnam in the world arena, and show the country’s responsibility in realising international commitments and conventions regarding the protection of maritime environment and ecosystem.

Along with improving the awareness of fishermen in preventing IUU fishing and supporting them in the work, ministries, sectors and localities must strictly implement the fisheries law, while adjusting and supplementing relevant legal documents in a timely manner, the Prime Minister stressed.

He requested the Ministry of National Defence to coordinate with other ministries, sectors and localities and coastal localities to end the violations of foreign waters by March 31, 2023.

The Ministry of Public Security was asked to thoroughly settle the organisation of illegal fishing in foreign waters.

Agriculture Ministry to build Action plan against IUU fishing: Khanh Hoa fishermen bring fish ashore. (Photo: VNA)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was directed to conduct the protection of fishermen and bring them home, and finalise negotiations to complete the demarcation of sea borders between Vietnam and other countries.

The Ministry of Information and Communications was assigned to spread information on Vietnam’s efforts against IUU fishing, while the Ministry of Planning and Investment was requested to allocate resources to ministries, sectors and localities to upgrade their fisheries infrastructure, ports and boat shelters and support fishermen.

At the same time, the Ministry of Finance was asked to control imported aquatic products and provide capital to the implementation of IUU fishing combat measures.

The Ministry of Science and Technology was requested to roll out technological and technical solutions to ensure the smooth operation of the vessel monitoring systems.

Coastal localities were required to strengthen communications to encourage local fishermen to strictly abide by legal regulations on IUU fishing, improve the efficiency of controlling the origin of fisheries products, and increase inspections to ensure that exporting activities of aquatic products do not violate regulations against IUU fishing.

They was also asked to organise local fisheries surveillance forces as per Fisheries Law 2017 and relevant legal regulations.