Hanoi (VNS/VNA) -Localities in Vietnam have taken a number of measures to combat illegal,unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing since the country received a “yellowcard” warning from the European Commission (EC) in 2017.  

But experts say more work needs to be done to improve their fisheriesgovernance and retain access to EU market.

Nguyen Cong Binh, deputy head of the Binh Dinh Fisheries Department, said bythe end of July last year, the province has completed installing Movimar device– a system to monitor fishing vessels and aquatic resources by satellitetechnology - for all vessels with a length of 24m or more. 

Only 603 out of 3,231 boats of between 15 and 24m in length have the systeminstalled.

In accordance with the recommendations of the EC for offshore fishing vesselsto be transparent and to fight illegal fishing, the installation of monitoringequipment must be finished by the end of March, this year.

The high number of fishing boats which have not yet installed the equipment wascausing difficulties for the management of vessels and traceability, Binh said.

Even after the installation completed, it was still a hard job.

“To supervise 3,300 fishing boats, there should be an adequate staff are onduty around the clock and specialists in traceability and supervision offishing vessels. However, it is still short in demand,” he said, adding that alot of fishing ports in the province have not yet received the software totrace the operating areas of fishing boats.

The southernmost province of Ca Mau also faces similar problems.

The monitoring systems have been installed on 55 percent of vessels of 15m inlength and 88 percent of those with a length of 24m or more.

Mai Anh Nhin, Vice Chairman of the Kien Giang provincial People’s Committeesaid the installation of monitoring devices was an important issue but manyboats did not turn on the device when going to sea.

Traceability was also an issue.

“The traceability has not met EC’s requirement for the control of product’slegality before exporting to EU market,” said Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Ministerof Agriculture and Rural Development at a workshop held in December on theissue.

Currently, there were 129 fishing boats in waters outside Vietnam’s territoryand 69 boats in disputed areas, he said, adding that the country has explainedthis to the EC.

To solve the problem, Binh said the province would coordinate with otherprovinces and agencies to complete the installation of monitoring deviceand closely supervise vessels operating offshore.

The locality would strengthen the dissemination for boat owners and captains tohand in fishing records as required.

Trieu from Ca Mau province proposed the Government to issue guidance onsoftware management and support localities in demanding vessels to installmonitoring devices.

Nhin suggested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of PublicSecurity assist provinces to stop illegal fishing by local vessels./.