Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam will never tolerate or permit activities related toillegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, Deputy Minister ofAgriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Vu Van Tam has said.

Tamshared his opinion on November 11 after receiving information that a foreignfishing vessel had violated IUU fishing regulations and was suspected to havedocked in Vietnam.

Hesaid MARD assigned relevant agencies, especially the Directorate of Fisheriesand the Department of Animal Health, to verify this information and report tothe ministry this week.

“Ifviolations are detected, the cases shall be strictly handled,” he said.

"Vietnamis being warned by the EU of being issued yellow cards on IUU, so we will haveto do our best to overcome this problem," he added.

Countriesthat fail to meet European Commission standards on fighting against IUU fishingare issued a yellow card, which is considered a warning and offers Vietnam theopportunity to take measures to rectify the situation within six months. Tothis end, the EC has proposed an action plan for the country. The "yellowcard" is followed by a "green card" if issues are resolved or a"red card" if they aren’t. A red card can lead to a trade ban onfishery products.

Tam said the Government and MARD had directed relevant ministries to fightagainst IUU fishing, making it clear Vietnam would not tolerate or allowillegal fishing activities.

[Vietnam seafood mulls action on EU warning]

Togo along with the international community to stop the IUU fishing, Vietnam isconcentrating on implementing many solutions through which it will put thefight against IUU fishing into the revised Fisheries Law and build a nationalaction plan to prevent, minimise and eliminate IUU fishing until 2025.

ThePrime Minister has also sent a message on preventing, minimising and stoppingillegal fishing vessels and Vietnamese fishermen from fishing in foreignwaters. Through these activities, Vietnam hopes the EU will lift the yellowcard soon.

Inaddition, the community of seafood exporters in Vietnam also expressed itsdetermination through its commitment to combat IUU fishing. According to theVietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), 62 enterpriseshave committed to purchasing and importing seafood from legal fishing vesselswith clear origin.

Theywill not buy seafood of fishing vessels caught illegally or exploited without apermit, without fishing diary, not reported as regulated and exploited withprohibited fishing tools. At the same time, they will say no to rare species ofseafood and catch products that are smaller than those permitted.

Earlier,at a meeting with VASEP and businesses held on November 9 in HCM City, FirstCounselor of Trade and Economic Affairs of the EU Delegation in Vietnam MiriamGarcia Ferrer provided information on an IUU fishing vessel that was suspectedto have landed in Vietnam.

Shortlyafter receiving this information, deputy secretary general of VASEP Nguyen HoaiNam said the association would verify the information from relevant sectors.-VNA