Hanoi (VNA) – Without strongeractions to lift the “yellow card” warning, Vietnam may face the “red card” fromthe European Commission (EC), which means it will be banned from exportingseafood to Europe, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang told a meeting in Hanoion June 1.

At the seventh meeting of the nationalsteering committee for fighting illegal, reported and unregulated (IUU) fishing,Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien reportedthat the combat against IUU fishing has recorded progress after more than fiveyears (since October 23, 2017) of taking actions against IUU fishing andimplementing the EC’s recommendations.

In their third inspection last October, theEC inspection team continued recognising and highly valuing Vietnam’s politicalresolve, especially the attention and drastic directions from the Permanent Memberof the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, the Government, and the PrimeMinister.

Regarding the prevention and settlementof Vietnamese fishing vessels working illegally in foreign waters, the country’slaw enforcement forces have patrolled and examined the areas adjacent to othercountries’ to make necessary moves. So far, they have eradicated fishing vessels’violation of the waters of the Pacific island countries.

However, Tien said, there remains manyshortcomings slow to be addressed in certain localities as found by the EC inspectionteam.

Such provinces as Phu Yen and Tien Gianghave considerably reduced violations while some others haven’t, including BinhThuan, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Ben Tre, and Kien Giang, he added.

Proposing focal tasks to be performed byOctober, when the EC team will return for the fourth inspection, officials calledon relevant forces to implement strong measures to resolutely preventVietnamese vessels from fishing illegally in foreign waters, promote seafood origintracing, control sources of imported seafood materials, especially thoseimported in containers, and ramp up the settlement of violations.

Deputy PM Quang applauded the relevantforces’ achievements in the IUU fishing combat but also warned about the “redcard” that may lead to a ban on seafood export to Europe if stronger efforts arenot made to remove the “yellow card”.

“Illegal fishing is not only narrowingexport markets but also affecting the country’s image,” he said, pointing outthat there is still a shortage of effective solutions, and some localities haveshown lax management.

Highlighting the determination toeradicate IUU fishing as in line with the EC’s recommendations, he demandedministries, sectors, and localities make the best use of the coming opportunityin October to have the “yellow card” removed.

The Deputy PM requested localities to paymore attention to personnel affairs, saying if leaders of a province takedrastic actions, it will record differences./.