Tam Quan port in Hoai Nhon commune, Binh Dinh province. (photo: VOV)

All fishing vessels 15 meters or more in length in Binh Dinh province are now equipped with legally required monitoring devices. Since last October, no violations of foreign waters have been reported.

Tran Van Phuc, Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, says the province has been strict with IUU violators, particularly fishing vessels that have disconnected their monitoring equipment.

“On-shore stations work around the clock. Since last October functional agencies have detected and handled nine violations of the fishing boundary and seven cases in which the monitoring equipment was disconnected for more than 10 days. The violators accepted the fine,” Phuc said.

The European Commission’s inspection team conducted its fourth inspection last October and will conduct a fifth inspection soon. Binh Dinh province has strengthened management of its fishing fleets to prevent ships from violating IUU regulations.

On March 14, at a working session with Binh Dinh province on IUU, Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: “The EC recommends three things. First is ship management and supervision. Second is traceability. Third is handling violations. Binh Dinh has done well. We hope this will serve as a model for 27 provinces and cities.”

Binh Dinh province has asked the EC to provide experts and technical and professional guidance in combating IUU fishing, and share its experience in fleet management, control, traceability of aquatic materials, and fisheries law enforcement.