Vietnam determined to remove EC’s IUU fishing warning
Removing the European Commission (EC)’s illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing “yellow card” is not easy and cannot be done overnight, but the Vietnamese business community and associations are still determined to do, not only to meet EU requirements, but also for the sake of sustainable fishery development.
Delegates share opinions at the workshop (Source: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) - Removing the European Commission (EC)’s illegal,unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing “yellow card” is not easy and cannotbe done overnight, but the Vietnamese business community and associations arestill determined to do, not only to meet EU requirements, but also for the sakeof sustainable fishery development.
The message was delivered by leading officials of the VietnamAssociation of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) at a workshop evaluatingthe three-year implementation of the “Vietnam Marine Product Companies Committo Combat IUU Fishing” programme in Ho Chi Minh City on October 31.
VASEP statistics showed that the “yellow card” has madeVietnam’s seafood exports to the EU decrease continuously since 2018. The country’sexport turnover of seafood declined by 6 percent in 2018, 15 percent in 2019,and 13 percent in the first nine months of this year.
From the second biggest importer of Vietnamese seafood witha value of 380-480 million USD a year, the EU now ranks fifth, after Japan, theUS, the Republic of Korea and ASEAN.
Nguyen Thi Thu Sac, VASEP Vice President and head of itsSeafood Committee, said that the EU, however, remains important partner ofVietnam’s fishery sector. Therefore, the association and the seafood businesscommunity are exerting every effort to maintain this market.
At present, 82 percent of fishing vessels are equipped withposition monitoring devices, the trace for seafood origins has improved, andthe legal framework has gradually completed.
Many delegates attending the workshop emphasised the need toraise fishermen’s awareness of abiding by EC recommendations.
Vietnam is exerting efforts to prevent IUU fishing so as topersuade the EC to remove the “yellow card” warning, which was issued inOctober 2017 as the country had failed to demonstrate sufficient progress inthe fight against IUU fishing.
Countries that fail to meet EC standards are given a"yellow card", followed by a "green card" if the problemsare resolved, or a "red card" if they are not. A red card can lead toa trade ban on aquatic products./.
A workshop was held in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa on October 10 to promote tuna supply chain, and tuna exports to the EU under the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
Vice Chairman of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam Rubén Saornil Mínguez recently appreciated efforts by the Vietnamese Government, businesses and fishermen in fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing following the European Commission (EC)’s recommendations.
ASEAN Today, a website based in Singapore, on October 26 ran an article entitled “Vietnam launded for efforts to combat illegal fishing”, hailing the country’s efforts in this sphere.
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Delegates share opinions at the workshop (Source: VNA) 
