BaRia-Vung Tau (VNA) – The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, alongwith other Vietnamese localities, is racing to address illegal, unreported andunregulated (IUU) fishing as there is only more than a month left before thedeadline to show progress to the European Commission (EC) in solving theproblem.

In September 2017, the EC issued a yellow cardwarning Vietnam for failing to progress in fighting IUU fishing. The EC alsoproposed nine recommendations that Vietnam should implement. The "yellowcard" is followed by a "green card" if the problem is resolvedor a "red card" if it isn’t. A “red card” can lead to a trade ban onfishery products.

The EU will assess Vietnam’s efforts to fightIUU fishing in April.

Tran Van Cuong, Director of the Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, said localitiesin the province have used many different measures to raise local fishermen’sawareness while strictly punishing violating boats and fishermen. 

The department issued a written order requestingfishing and logistics boats be equipped with tracking devices. It does notlicense or extend the fishing license for boats without this system.

Meanwhile, boats which used to violate foreignwaters must have all necessary documentation, fishing records and certificatesunder European standards, or they will be banned from fishing.

He added agencies have requested fishing boatsat sea keep communication devices on around the clock so supervisory agencies canwarn the vessels if they enter foreign seas.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau is also enhancing cooperationwith regional countries so local boats and fishermen can fish in othercountries’ waters.

[Vietnamese boats’ overseas illegal fishing down significantly]

In 2018, it will send seven businesses andcooperatives to negotiate with Brunei about fishing in this country’s waters,Cuong noted, adding that new regulations on fisheries development and boatbuilding and repair will also be made.

Meanwhile, local businesses are also joiningauthorities in solving IUU fishing.

Huynh Minh Tuong, Deputy Director General of theBa Ria-Vung Tau Seafood Processing and Import-Export JSC (Baseafood), said Baseafoodproducts have been exported to 40 countries and territories around the world.To ensure its prestige, the firm has carefully examined material origin throughfishing records and food safety certificates before buying materials. It alsoonly purchases imported materials with certificates of origin.

Implementing anti-IUU fishing regulationsprotects the prestige and interests of the company, he said.

Le Van Khang, Chairman of the Con Dao SeaProducts and Import – Export JSC (Coimex), said his business had paid attentionto seafood origin long before the EC issued the warning.

All of its materials are sourced from Vietnam,so to meet import markets’ requirements, all materials must have clear originbefore they are delivered to Coimex’s warehouse, he noted.

Businesses commit to rejecting seafood withunclear origin firstly to protect their brand names. However, it is moreimportant that State agencies take actions to prevent fishing boats fromviolating foreign waters so that the management of material origin iseffective, he added.-VNA