Thừa Thiên- Huế must tighten vessel control to fight IUU fishing: Deputy Minister

Thừa Thiên-Huế has 437 fishing vessels with a length of at least 15 metres equipped with vessel monitoring system. Photo cand.com.vn

THỪA THIÊN-HUẾ – Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phùng Đức Tiến on Wednesday ordered the central province of Thừa Thiên – Huế to tighten control over offshore fishing vessels in an effort to clamp down on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

At a working session with the Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee, Tiến, also deputy head of the National Steering Committee on IUU Fishing Prevention, affirmed the significance to eradicating IUU fishing, and asked the province to direct competent localities, departments and sectors to keep close tabs on the situation, and mete out strict punishments to any violations.

A report from the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development showed that the province has 437 fishing vessels with a length of at least 15 metres equipped with vessel monitoring system (VMS), including three broken ones.

From the outset of the year, competent authorities have detected 358 boats losing VMS signals from six hours to under 10 days due to service providers’ satellite incidents, and power disconnections.

The electronic catch documentation and traceability system (eCDT) has been piloted at Thuận An fishing port for hundreds of vessels’ entry and exit, ensuring transparency, and certifying seafood origin.

As many as 674 fishing boats with length from six metres have been registered, got fishing licences, and updated their information on national fisheries database (Vnfishbase). However, the number of “three nos” vessels (no registration, no examination, and no licence), is 385, most of them being small in size. The province has directed ship owners to complete registration procedures before October 30. – VNS