Hanoi (VNA) – The Prime Minister hasissued a public dispatch ordering ministries and People’s Committees of 28coastal provinces and centrally-run cities to further intensify measures to stopillegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The document acknowledged progress in the fightagainst IUU fishing thanks to implementation of the PM’s Directive 45/CT-TTgdated December 13, 2017 on urgent tasks and measures to respond to the EC’swarning about IUU fishing. It noted improvements in institutions and betterawareness of fishermen and society in general about the IUU situation, while internationalcooperation with other countries and international organisations in fightingIUU practices has been strengthened.

Despite those outcomes, the dispatch stressed thatthe work has not met requirements, citing assessment of the EC delegation aftera field survey in Vietnam from May 16-24 this year. The EC delegation said Vietnameseships’ violations of foreign waters are still common, law enforcement on IUUpractices is not strict enough, the credibility of certification of seafood isnot high, and the system for monitoring fishing vessels has not met requirement.

To address existing shortcomings and prepare for aworking session with a delegation of the European Parliament Committee onFisheries in October this year and the second inspection of the EC in early2019, the PM listed urgent tasks for relevant ministries and authorities of 28coastal provinces and cities in the dispatch.

Accordingly, the People’s Committees of coastalprovinces and cities must accelerate the recovery of Movimar satellite geo-positioning devices installed in fishing vesselsof below 24 metres in length for installation in those of 24 metres and over inlength, and impose strict punishment on those ships which fail to operate themonitoring equipment around the clock as required.

The provinces and cities arerequired to further tighten the control of fishing vessels’ movement throughports along with vessels’ catches and fishing itineraries, and the verificationand granting of certification for seafood origin in line with regulations.

Local authorities must holdpatrols in waters under their management in order to timely detect and stop IUUfishing, and keep close monitoring of local fishing vessels on long fishingtrips. They should coordinate and share information with other localities andrelevant agencies for quick response to any IUU activity.

Meanwhile, the PM instructed theMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development to work out a plan for theestablishment of a national steering committee for controlling IUU fishing.

The Defence Ministry shouldcoordinate with relevant agencies to enhance inspection and supervision work atsea, particularly overlapping and disputed waters, and at fishing ports, while imposingstricter punishment of violations of anti-IUU rules.

The Finance Ministry is requiredto allocate funds to the system monitoring fishing vessels using Movimartechnology during 2019-2020.

The PM also specified tasks for severalother ministries in the dispatch.-VNA