Hanoi (VNA) –꧂ Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to complete the comprehensive integration and smooth connectivity to the national fisheries database (VN-Fishbase), vessel monitoring system (VMS), and electronic traceability system (eCDT) in Q1, ensuring seamless data flow from central to local authorities, a move to clamp down on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Chairing the 12th meeting of the national steering committee for IUU fishing prevention and control in Hanoi on January 14, Ha, also head of the committee, stated that while significant progress has been made, some localities have yet to fulfill their responsibilities in the work, calling for the establishment of clear regulations on managing, operating, and updating fishing data as well as responsibilities of competent forces. Given the complicated and evolving nature of fishing violations, the Deputy PM laid stress on the need to review, amend, and supplement existing laws to mete out strict punishment for any offences that jeopardise national security and defence or territorial integrity. It is a must to strengthen fisheries management tools through careful planning and employment of appropriate fishing methods for different fishing grounds, he stated. Ha also ordered the agriculture ministry to establish inter-sectoral inspection teams within the first quarter, which will be in charge of overseeing local vessel data management, the performance of state management agencies, and the operation of seafood processing and export facilities. Meanwhile, the Ministries of Defence, Public Security, and Foreign Affairs as well as law enforcement forces must join hands with relevant international agencies to handle violations in line with regulations. According to a report from the agriculture ministry, Vietnam has largely implemented the European Commission (EC)'s recommendations during their fourth inspection in October 2023. Significant progress has been made, with up to 98.9% of fishing vessels now registered in the VN-Fishbase while all vessels with lengths of at least 15 metres having been equipped with the VMS. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said that the inspection and control of imported seafood have been carried out in accordance with international regulations and the EC’s suggestions. In addressing persistent violations, authorities prosecuted 39 criminal cases and publicly tried 10 cases related to various counts, including illegal border crossing facilitation and VMS equipment tampering. Fines for fishing violations in 2024 reached nearly 100 billion VND (3.94 million USD) as compared to over 89 billion VND in the previous year./.