A border guard officer explains IUU fishing regulations to Ba Ria-Vung Tau fishermen before their departure. (Photo: Luu Son)

Ba Ria-Vung Tau province has about 4,500 licensed vessels, more than half of which operate offshore. Local authorities have granted temporary registration to 1,140 vessels with “3 Nos” (no registration, no examination, and no license), numbering all of them for management.

A list of "3 Nos" vessels and other fishing vessels unqualified for operation has been given to local administrations and to the Border Guard Command who will keep them from fishing offshore.

To prevent IUU fishing more effectively, Ba Ria-Vung Tau has established inspection, monitoring, and management teams.

These teams are on duty around the clock to regularly update the list of fishing vessels disconnecting at sea and those at high risk of violating foreign waters and report to law enforcement forces, such as the Coast Guard and the Vietnam fisheries surveillance for timely handling.

Nguyen Cong Vinh, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, said designated fishing ports in Ba Ria-Vung Tau monitor fishing vessels’ arrival and departure.

“At the three fishing ports that have met the required conditions for tracing the origin of fish, we have organized teams to do regular inspections. We check these fishing ports every week to see how records on the origin of fish are made,” Vinh explained.

Offshore fishing vessels of Ba Ria-Vung Tau undergo a strict inspection by the Department of Fisheries before putting out to sea.

After leaving the port, the border guard posts continue to check them and verify their coordinates. If fishermen turn off their vessel monitoring system (VMS) device, the task force will contact the vessel owner and request that the device be turned on. Anyone who intentionally violates the rules will be punished.

Most Ba Ria-Vung Tau fishermen realize the importance of recording and submitting fishing logs and complying with the VMS installation.

Vo Tien Duy, a fisherman from Xuyen Moc district, said, “Before putting out to sea, we have to follow the orders of the border guards and fisheries inspectors and complete all the paperwork. We’ve been asked to fish in Vietnamese waters only and comply with State regulations.”

The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has set up multiple inspection teams and implemented other solutions in response to the EC's warnings to eliminate IUU fishing.

Pham Thi Na, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that Ba Ria-Vung Tau has implemented solutions to remove the yellow card on Vietnam's fisheries industry.

“The provincial People's Committee has asked local authorities to take responsibility for getting fishermen to comply with the law on IUU fishing,” said Na.

The provincial Border Guard Command regularly inspects and strictly controls the departure and arrival of fishing vessels and will severely punish unqualified vessels that leave the port.

Close attention is given to monitoring, reviewing, verifying, and handling possible violations of IUU rules. A special IUU team has been established to step up the fight against IUU fishing.

Colonel Dang Cao Dat, head of the IUU team of the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Border Guard, talks to a local fisherman. (Photo: Luu Son)

According to Colonel Dang Cao Dat, head of the IUU team of the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Border Guard, functional agencies have been asked to coordinate with the Department of Agriculture, the Coast Guard, Fisheries Association offices, Fisheries Control, and Naval Region 2 in carrying out the task and exchanging information.

“We also work with the police force to share enforcement methods and handle violations,” said Dat.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau’s agencies plan to monitor all "3 Nos" fishing vessels, install VMS devices in all fishing vessels over 15 meters, and inspect and control all fishing vessels entering and leaving local ports.

Monitoring the traceability of aquatic products and the labor contracts of captains and crew members will receive more attention. Ba Ria-Vung Tau has mobilized resources and directed relevant departments and sectors to do all they can to get the "yellow card" warning removed.