Tighten management, resolutely fight against IUU fishing

Da Nang City has implemented synchronous solutions, especially strictly managing, inspecting, supervising and tracking fishing vessels; thereby achieving many positive results in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, aiming to build a sustainable fisheries sector.

Officers of Coast Guard Region 2 disseminate and distribute leaflets to fishermen (Ngu Hanh Son district) about combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Photo: PV

Synchronize solutions

Identifying raising awareness for fishermen as a key factor, the city has focused on promoting and guiding legal regulations for fishermen and related organizations and individuals so that fishermen comply with the law and do not violate IUU fishing. From the beginning of 2024 to now, all levels, sectors and localities have organized 33 propaganda sessions for more than 1,900 fishermen and related units; worked directly with more than 2,600 ship owners and captains to support and guide procedures for granting documents to fishing vessels according to regulations, and tracing the origin of exploited aquatic products.

The City Border Guard Command regularly propagates to fishermen not to exploit seafood illegally by many forms and methods, combining concentrated propaganda at conferences and sending officers to their homes to propagate when the vehicles dock. The border force strengthens inspection and strictly controls fishing vessels and crew members leaving and entering the port at the coastal border guard station. When leaving the port, offshore fishing vessels are carefully checked for their journey monitoring equipment and fully declare all procedures.

Mr. Nguyen Lai, Head of Tho Quang Fishing Port and Lock Management Board, said that the unit strictly implements shift assignment, assigns people to directly receive, monitor, and update information on fishing vessels arriving and departing from the port; at the same time, ensures that 100% of fishing vessels arriving and departing from the port are updated in the monitoring book.

When fishing vessels leave port, they are checked and verified to ensure that they have all the appropriate documents and have a journey monitoring signal, then the unit will certify the entry into the crew register to allow them to go to sea. In cases where fishing vessels have not complied with the handling of violations, have not completed the declaration on the seafood traceability system (eCDT), the vessel does not have or has not opened the journey monitoring... the management board will not certify the entry into the crew register and will not allow the vessel to leave port.

“We continue to coordinate with relevant units to control fishing activities at the port, focusing on strictly handling intentional violations of IUU fishing by ship owners and captains; resolutely not signing the crew register, not prioritizing port arrangements if the ship does not comply in order to attach responsibility to ship owners and captains in the fight against IUU fishing,” Mr. Lai added.

Da Nang has drastically implemented solutions to combat illegal fishing in order to develop sustainable fisheries. IN PHOTO: Boats anchored at Tho Quang fishing port and dock. Photo: TRAN TRUC

Towards sustainable fisheries development

Up to now, the entire number of fishing vessels in the city has been counted and monitored and managed. Specifically, the number of fishing vessels with the largest length of 6m or more is 1,548; of which there are 731 coastal fishing vessels, 203 offshore fishing vessels, and 614 offshore fishing vessels; 100% of fishing vessels eligible for fishing have been painted with fishing vessel markings and registration numbers according to regulations.

The city has completed updating all data on registered fishing vessels and updated 1,380/1,548 citizen identification information into the national fisheries database system (VNfishbase). Agencies, units, and localities pay special attention to the inspection, control, and management of fishing vessels that do not meet operating conditions.

As of June 1, the city had 147 fishing vessels that did not meet operating conditions; accordingly, relevant units made a list to monitor the above fishing vessels and assigned the locality to manage, monitor, regularly update the operating status, anchorage locations of the vessels, and ensure that fishing vessel owners do not take fishing vessels to exploit aquatic products without full documents and do not leave fishing gear and equipment on board.

Notably, the city currently has no more “3 no” fishing vessels (no registration, no inspection, no fishing license). Thanks to drastic measures, Da Nang has not detected any serious violations of IUU fishing (no fishing vessels violating foreign waters have been arrested or processed; no VMS devices have been sent or transported; no brokers, liaisons, or violations of illegal fishing in foreign waters).

Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment Phan Van My said that, realizing the urgent requirements of the task of combating IUU fishing and preparing to work with the 5th EC Inspection Delegation, the city focused on implementing the tasks resolutely; in which, responsibilities were clearly assigned and specific coordination between agencies and localities.

Thanks to that, the fight against IUU fishing in Da Nang has achieved many positive and remarkable results. In the coming time, the city will focus on strictly managing to prevent the emergence of 3-no fishing vessels, promote propaganda and dissemination of laws, raise awareness of sustainable development of the fisheries industry, and fight against IUU fishing. In particular, it will focus on monitoring the situation, promptly detecting early, from afar, and preventing right from the shore fishing vessels and fishermen who deliberately go fishing without full documents as prescribed, and fishing vessels illegally fishing in foreign waters.

In addition, units and localities urgently complete the issuance of full documents for fishing vessels that do not meet the operating conditions and fully update data into the fishing vessel management software. The functional forces continue to focus on inspecting and controlling 100% of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports at the coastal border stations; ensuring that 100% of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports must have full documents and comply with regulations on the fishing vessel monitoring system as prescribed; strictly punish 100% of IUU fishing violations as prescribed to create strong changes.

TRAN TRUC

Source: https://baodanang.vn/kinhte/202506/siet-chat-quan-ly-quyet-liet-chong-khai-thac-iuu-4009908/