HCMC – In a bid to remove the illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) yellow card imposed on Vietnam, the prime minister has urged ministries and agencies to address IUU fishing issues, especially supervising 100% of active fishing boats at sea.
In an official dispatch signed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on November 4, the Government is committed to implementing immediate solutions in response to the IUU yellow card imposed by the European Commission (EC), according to the Government’s new sites at baochinhphu.vn.
This official dispatch is directed to the ministers of Agriculture and Rural Development, Finance, Transport, Information and Communications, Justice, Foreign Affairs, Public Security, Defense, and the leaders of coastal cities and provinces.
Vietnam has made some positive progress and improvements in combating IUU fishing over the past six years, the document stated. However, during the recent site inspection by the EC from October 10 to 18, the inspection team identified several outstanding issues that require further attention.
These issues include illegal fishing in foreign seas, disruptions in the connection of the video management system (VMS), inadequate supervision of fishing boats, and deficiencies in origin tracing.
If these issues are not addressed promptly, the country could face a high risk of receiving a red card in the future, warned the document.
Relevant authorities are urged to guide fishing boat owners to register, apply for licenses, and update their fishing boat data on the Vietnam Fisheries database system (VNFishbase).
The official dispatch also requires that 100% of active fishing boats be managed and supervised through a system to detect violations and impose strict sanctions.
The next EC inspection of the country’s compliance with IUU fishing laws is expected to take place in the second quarter of next year.
