 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs a meeting of the National Steering Committee on combating illegal fishing with representatives from 21 provinces and cities. (Photo: VOV) |
Speaking at the 25th meeting of the National Steering Committee on Combating IUU Fishing on Tuesday, the Prime Minister ordered tougher action against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Vietnam has registered and updated information on 79,360 fishing boats in its national Vnfishbase database, and no Vietnamese vessels were detained overseas last week. Violations of vessels that lose vessel monitoring system (VMS) connection or cross maritime boundaries have been handled properly.
The Prime Minister called for restructuring and developing the fisheries sector in responsible and sustainable manner.
"We need to restructure the workforce, fishing vessels, and fishing communities to ensure that fishing activities are legal, while promoting aquaculture and seafood processing and strengthening cooperation with other countries in seafood exploitation. The primary goal is to put an end to illegal, unreported fishing activities. We need to reorganize and sustainably develop the fisheries sector, create jobs, and enhance cooperative fishing activities with neighboring countries," said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
The Prime Minister asked localities to work with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to develop a plan for sustainable fisheries development that covers aquaculture, fishing, processing, and seafood exports. Mr. Chinh directed the Ministry of National Defense to continue patrolling waters that border Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, and to closely monitor vessel departures and arrivals, denying access to boats that lack mandatory registration or safety requirements.
"We need to identify individuals and organizations who are in violation, and handle them in accordance with the laws of the State, regardless of who they are. I request that agencies firmly grasp the situation, follow all existing regulations, and compare them with the EC’s requirements. Violators must be pinpointed so appropriate actions can be taken," added Mr. Chinh.