KIÊNG GIANG – Border guard units in the Mekong Delta province of Kiên Giang are rolling out measures to strictly deal with violations relating to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Managing over 1,000 offshore fishing vessels in the locality, the Border Guard Station of Hòn Chông Port in Kiên Lương district has kept strict inspection and supervision of fishing activities. Special attention has been paid to communications and law dissemination to raise ship owners and fishermen's awareness.

Nguyễn Văn Tùng, captain of a fishing boat at the Hòn Chông estuary in Kiên Lương district’s Bình An commune, said officials from the border guard station, the district's agriculture and rural development division, and the coast guard force, have come to meet and distribute documents and leaflets on relevant regulations to ship owners and fishermen. They have also examined vessel monitoring systems (VMS), fishing tools, fishing licences, and papers of fishermen.

Fisherman like him are now aware that they should only operate in the waters of Việt Nam and not come near or fish in foreign waters, he added.

Lieutenant Colonel Danh Nguyễn Thanh Hải, deputy head of the Hòn Chông port border guard station, said that in addition to performing regular tasks, the station has coordinated with other units to launch peak campaigns to detect and handle violations such as lacking fishing licences, not installing VMS, or disrupting VMS connection.

A mobile team and five checkpoints at wharves have been arranged to strictly control documents, people and vehicles, he said, vessels without certificates that prove their seaworthiness will not be allowed to leave fishing ports.

Colonel Doãn Đình Tránh, Deputy Political Commissar of the Border Guard Command of Kiên Giang, said as the province's sea area is adjacent to Cà Mau's, the local border guard force has maintained communication with the Cà Mau border guard force, Naval Region 5, and Coast Guard Region 4 to strengthen inspection at sea and prevent IUU fishing practices.

Việt Nam has been working hard to carry out the European Commission’s recommendations about IUU fishing prevention and control, towards the goal of having the EC's "yellow card" warning against seafood lifted.

The EC issued the “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood in 2017. The "yellow card" is followed by a "green card" if the problem is resolved or a "red card" if it is not. A “red card” may lead to a ban on aquatic exports to the EU. VNS