Vietnam has seen positive progress in its fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing more than five years after it received a “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood exports from the European Commission (EC).

Implementing the EC’s recommendations, the agricultural sector will continue coordinating with localities to tighten the management of fishing vessels to ensure that they operate in the right areas.

Localities strictly monitor vessels to fight IUU fishing. (Photo: VNA)

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the National Fisheries Database (VNFishbase) has been implemented in 31 localities.

Currently, 82.7 per cent of the fishing vessels with a length of at least 6m have updated information on VNFishbase, while 97.7 per cent of ships of 15m or more in length have been installed with vessel monitoring system (VMS).

According to the Director of Fisheries Information Centre under the Directorate of Fisheries Ha Le, in the first seven months of this year, the numbers of vessels staying uncontacted at sea for more than 6 hours daily and for more than 10 days tended to decrease compared to those of the same period last year.

Localities have also been more active in handling administrative violations for ships that remain uncontacted for more than 10 days. However, the percentage of administrative punishments is still low, at about 5 per cent.

Therefore, he suggested that localities step up communication, inspection, and supervision, and strictly handle those violating regulations on VMS.

In order to closely monitor fishing vessels at sea, and to ensure effective preparations for the next visit of the fourth EC inspection delegation in October, the Director of the Department of Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Nguyen Quang Hung proposed localities continue to strictly implement directives by the Prime Minister and the head of the National Steering Committee on IUU Fishing Prevention, and to arrange competent and responsible officials to perform the work.

Localities should take strong and resolute measures to prevent fishing vessels from illegally conducting fishing activities in foreign waters, strictly control those entering and leaving ports, monitor their output, and comply with product certification and traceability regulations.