Fishermen do not fish in foreign waters
(11/29/2019 12:00:00 AM)
On June 21, 2019, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung hosted the
meeting with the ministries and leaders of 28 coastal provinces and
cities to continue implementing solutions to prevent seafood illegal
exploitation on foreign waters.
FROM THE NUMBERS...
Immediately after being warned "Yellow card" of the EC, propaganda to
fishermen of all levels, branches and localities has been implemented
synchronously. Along with that, strong solutions to enforce laws on the
sea are also implemented by sectors. However, the situation of
Vietnamese fishing vessels illegally exploiting in foreign waters is
still complicated. Specifically, coastal provinces recorded 85 cases,
including 137 ships, with 1,162 fishermen violating foreign waters in
2018; Compared with 2017, there were increased 28 cases, with 46 ships
and 379 fishermen violating. In the first 5 months of 2019, fishermen
violating catching in foreign waters continued to be complicated and
happened 41 cases, with 69 ships and 271 fishermen. Many violating
fishing vessels at some provinces include Kien Giang, Ba Ria - Vung Tau,
Ben Tre, Ca Mau, Binh Dinh, Binh Thuan, etc. In the violations, there
are some fishing vessels using fake number plates to declare.
The violations of Vietnamese fishing vessels illegally exploiting and
catching in foreign waters will cause serious consequences. When the
vessel is caught by foreign countries, it not only losses money of the
fishermen but also negatively affects the Vietnam image to regional and
international countries, seriously affecting the country's seafood
export. Therefore, preventing illegal fishing by fishermen in foreign
waters is an urgent issue, requiring the coordination of many sectors,
authorities and local authorities.
TO THE DRASTIC MEASURES
At the conference, Mr. Trinh Dinh Dung, Deputy Prime Minister asked
ministries, central branches and leaders of 28 coastal provinces to
determine the task of combating IUU exploitation as the most important
political task today. If the yellow card cannot be removed, or be
received the red card, it will seriously affect the fishery and
fishermen's life. Accordingly, the Government assigned the Ministry of
Defense to assume the responsibility for preventing and ending the
illegally exploiting situation of Vietnamese fishing vessels on foreign
waters. Localities strictly control ships when exporting and entering
ports; coordinate patrol and control on sea areas, resolutely handle
fishing vessels with violations. The Ministry of Public Security
organizes an investigation and strictly handles organizations and
individuals that involve in IUU fishing. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
is proactive in protecting fishermen, resolutely struggling with
countries using force and threatening to use force when arresting
Vietnamese ships and fishermen; handling the illegal arrest of
Vietnamese fishing vessels in Vietnam's waters, unidentified and
overlapping waters.
People's Committees of 28 provinces and cities, coastal areas
continue to deploy strongly, drastically and synchronously solutions to
overcome EC recommendations; Prevent fishing vessels from violating
foreign waters. The functional industry of the province determines and
regularly updates the list of fishing vessels that are determined to be
able to involve in illegal exploitation in foreign waters; Asking
fishermen to carry out the fishing diary in accordance with the law;
Strictly dealing with fishing vessels which have installed cruise
monitoring equipment but do not open the machine when fishing
operations.
Fishermen are the living force who works in the sea to do business
and participating in protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands
of the country. In recent time, functional forces such as marine police,
fishery inspectors and border guards have organized propaganda and
dissemination of legal education, mobilizing local people to abide by
the law and not violating the foreign seas. Illegal fishing vessels in
foreign waters will be deprived of their permanent licenses and may be
subject to criminal handling. When leaving the port, the ship must turn
on the equipment 24/24 hours to connect to the shore station for the
authorities to monitor. Fishermen strictly abide by the law is a
practical action to help authorities quickly remove the "yellow card" of
the EC.
VIFEP
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