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In January 2019, the EC Inspectorate will return to Vietnam to assess Vietnam’s efforts, and consider removing the "yellow card" for exporting seafood . Photo: Ha Phuong

Establishing a powerful IUU steering committee

From 16th to 24th May 2018, the EC Inspectorate visited Vietnam to inspect the implementation of 9 recommendations by the European Commission (EC) on illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU).

According to official information released by the Directorate of Fisheries (MARD) on 4th July 2018, the EC Inspectorate said that the fight against IUU fishing needs more specific and drastic actions in practice. At the same time, the EC Inspectorate has also introduced a series of contents that Vietnam must prioritize to implement in the coming time.

Specifically, Vietnam needs to establish a powerful Steering Committee for fighting against IUU fishing, develop effective coordination mechanisms from the central to local level, and regularly check and strengthen the connection to implement seriously and substantially in the fight against IUU fishing.

Regarding the completion of the legal framework, the Inspectorate said that the draft Decree guiding the implementation of the Fisheries Law is not comprehensive, and does not completely cover a number of regulations on combat against IUU fishing, so Vietnam and the EC need to have technical cooperation for the most effective method for implementation. The draft Decree on sanctioning administrative violations should ensure that sanctions comply with international regulations and are a sufficient deterrent; At the same time, the definition of seriousness of the acts of violations should be added in the draft Decree and the corresponding fines should be included.

Regarding the inspection, control and surveillance system for fishing vessels, according to the EC Inspectorate, Vietnam has not yet fully taken the responsibility of a flag of State, (fishing vessel management) and the responsibility of a coastal state (protection of aquatic resources). Vietnam should have a detailed plan and roadmap for installing cruise control equipment for fishing vessels longer than 15m or more, and ensure the implementation of the regulations on installation and activity of cruise control equipment as soon as the Fisheries Law takes effect from 1st January 2019.

The Inspectorate also suggested that from now until January 2019, all fishing vessels with lengths of 24m or more, should be equipped with GPS-assisted cruise control equipment and regulations on installation and activity of cruise control equipment for ships with lengths of 24m or more, and for ships with lengths of 15m or more must be implemented and cruise control equipment with the VX-1700 system must be implemented.

Ensuring traceability

According to the EC Inspectorate, the enforcement of the Vietnamese law on controlling fishing vessels violating illegal fishing in overseas waters is ineffective. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly control the operation of fishing vessels and strictly handle fishing vessels in violation of overseas waters in a timely and effective manner. It is necessary to consider the procedures for handling fishing vessels in violation of overseas waters to promptly prevent in an effective manner.

Notably, according to the EC Inspectorate: the certification of products originating from exploitation have not yet met the EU requirements and regulations on goods traceability of illegal exploitation for exports to the European market.

At present, Vietnam has not controlled the products declared on paper compared to the reality. It is therefore necessary to strengthen the control of fishing vessels at ports and on the sea, and to use the cruise control data in a systematic and accurate manner to ensure that products exported to the European market are traceable, legal and certified.

"Regarding the control of imported raw materials, the current control system for raw materials at enterprises of the competent authorities does not guarantee reliability, so there is a need for appropriate adjustment," was the comment made by the EC Inspectorate's view as specified by the Directorate of Fisheries.

In order to seriously overcome the shortcomings and inadequacies, and carry out the contents of the EC Inspectorate in the recent inspection and assessment, and at the same time strengthen fisheries management for the EC so that it can consider removing the ‘Yellow card’ in the coming time, Ms. Nguyen Thi Trang Nhung, Deputy Director Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation Fisheries Administration (General Department of Fisheries) said that MARD has reported to the Prime Minister to request ministries, sectors and People's Committees of coastal provinces and cities to concentrate on implementing urgently the key solutions.

Specifically, further improving the legal framework on fisheries, in which promptly completing 2 Decrees as recommended by the Inspectorate (Decree guiding the implementation of Laws and Decree on sanctioning administrative violations) and Guiding circulars to promulgate, ensuring quality, meeting the effective time of the Law as well as effective implementation; completing procedures to accede to the FAO’s Agreement on Port State Measures and UN’s Agreement on, ‘Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in July 2018, investing to upgrade to port type 1, to meet the requirements on traceability and control of fishing vessels at ports as proposed by the EC’.

For coastal provinces and cities, the Directorate of Fisheries stressed that in the last 6 months of 2018, it is necessary to focus on specific and urgent measures to closely manage and control ships of localities in strengthening the control of fishing vessels leaving and arriving from ports, and to actually control the output at ports.

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Besides implementing the coordination mechanism and immediately handling fishing vessels that violate overseas waters and taking drastic measures, such as withdrawing fishing permits and not granting new permits to owners of fishing vessels which violate oversea waters, and are arrested or detected on the cruise control system.