HCMC – The European Commission (EC) has rescheduled a visit to Vietnam to review and inspect the country’s efforts in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien announced at a meeting on May 21 in Hanoi that the inspection had been pushed back to September or October.
This postponement allows the EC to evaluate the enforcement efficiency of two new decrees introduced by the Government of Vietnam. Decree 37/2024 details measures for implementing the Law on Fisheries, and Decree 38/2024 specifies penalties for violations in the fishery sector.
An official at the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that the ministry will conduct monthly site inspections of IUU fishing prevention measures in coastal provinces until September or October.
To have the yellow card removed during the upcoming inspection, local authorities are urged to prevent illegal fishing in international waters and impose strict sanctions on rule-breaking fishing boats, said Deputy Minister Tien.
He noted that the current rate of handling IUU fishing violations is rather low, at about 10%, leading the EC to believe that Vietnam’s measures are not robust enough.
The EC’s recommendations focus on four key areas: completing the legal framework, strengthening fisheries management, controlling origin traceability, and addressing non-compliant boats.
