Hanoi (VNA) – Illegal fishing in foreign waters byVietnamese boats has declined considerably as a result of drastic efforts tofight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, said an official ofthe Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

Nguyen Thi Phuong Dung, Director of theDepartment for Science-Technology and International Cooperation of the MARD’sDirectorate of Fisheries, made the remark at the ministry’s regular pressconference on March 2, mentioning Vietnam’s remedies for a yellow card warningby the European Commission (EC) on October 23, 2017 for failing to progress infighting IUU fishing.

The EC also proposed nine recommendations thatVietnam should immediately implement in six months (from October 23, 2017 toApril 23, 2018). The "yellow card" is followed by a "greencard" if the problem is resolved or a "red card" if it isn’t. A“red card” can lead to a trade ban on fishery products.

Dung said over the past month, the wholepolitical system, from the central to local levels, and fishermen of Vietnamhave taken drastic actions to prevent and combat IUU fishing.

There have been an array of urgent solutions,including supplementing anti-IUU fishing regulations to legal documents,enforcing the issued regulations, disseminating the solutions to fishermen andrelevant parties, enhancing cooperation with coastal and island countries toprevent IUU fishing, and holding dialogues to update the EU on Vietnam’sefforts to improve fisheries management.

[Vietnam works to stop illegal fishing]

The official noted that the amended Law onFisheries, approved by the National Assembly on November 21, 2017, incorporatedthe EC recommendations as much as possible. Regulations relevant to IUU fishingare featured in almost all chapters and articles of the law, from the chapteron general regulations to the ones on fishery resources protection, managementof fishing activities, fishing boats and fishery ports, and responsibility ofauthorities at all levels.

To carry out the EC recommendations pending thelaw enforcement, competent agencies of Vietnam have made amendments and issuedimplementation documents in a timely manner, Dung said, adding that theDirectorate of Fisheries has coordinated with the Vietnam Association ofSeafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the Vietnam Fisheries Society(Vinafish) and political and social organisations in implementing therecommendations.

Accordingly, VASEP has worked with seafoodbusinesses to continue not buying or importing seafood fished illegally andwithout clear origin or those that are banned to be exploited. They also set upthe principle of only buying seafood with transparent origin.

Meanwhile, Vinafish has urged its branches incoastal provinces and members to implement solutions to IUU fishing, step upcommunication activities, and encourage businesses and boat owners to cooperatewith authorities of other countries like Brunei and Papua New Guinea infishing, the official noted.-VNA