Fishery sector determines to remove the "yellow card", targeting US$10 billion

	Illegal shipments of fishery products will not have customs clearance
	Fishery sector aims for “yellow card” removal with US$10 billion export target in sight
	Proactive and confident to enter the EU market

The fisheries industry is determined to achieve its export target of US$10 billion this year. Photo: Nguyen Thanh

US$10 billion not simple

In the first half of this year, fishery export value was estimated at US$3.56 billion, equaling 91.4% of the same period last year and reaching 35.6% of the plan. The General Department of Fisheries (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) said that the resourcesof seafood declined in both quantity and qualityin the last six months of the year. The Covid-19 pandemic is still unpredictable, while drought and saltwater intrusion continue to affect aquaculture in some areas.

In addition, the security situation in the sea is complicated and unpredictable. The countries in the region enhance control of fishing activities at sea, while fishing grounds of our fishermen are significantly narrowed.

In spite of many difficulties, the whole industry determined to strive to complete the assigned targets for the year 2020, including: the total production of fisheries reaches 8,565.6 million tons (of which, the exploited output is 3.9 million tons and aquaculture production is 4.66 million tons); export turnover reachesUS$10 billion.

Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam, Deputy General Secretary of Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (Vasep) assessed that fishery exports of the first six months decreased by more than 8% compared to the same period last year. This shows that it takes a lot of effortto reach the goal of exporting US$9-10 billionthis year, especially exporting to China.

"In the last two months, when China has successfully controlled the Covid-19 pandemic, China has increased Vietnam's fishery import.However, in the last two weeks when China detected the Covid-19 virus in three Ecuadorian shrimp bags,the tightened import has affected Vietnam's fishery exportsto this market.

“Otherlarge markets of Vietnamese fisheryare still facing difficulties due to the impact of Covid-19,"Mr. Nam said.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said: "The whole industry must make every effort to achieve the growth target in general and export in particular. For example, with pangasius products, I suggest that when facing difficulties in traditional markets, we shouldpromotefurther exports to other markets such as Russia, and boost domestic consumption, Pangasius should sell directly to kitchen stoves without shelves or supermarkets. The users and producers will benefit.”

Mr. Tran Dinh Luan, Director General of Fisheries, said that in the second half of the year, the whole industry would closely follow production practices in localitiesto guide measures to promote aquaculture production,complete 2020 targets; focus on directing the development of productionof brackish shrimp andpangasiuscatfish. Besides,from the perspective of exploitation, the General Department of Fisheries would advisethe good management of fishing quotas,reduce the number of fishing vessels and accelerate the conversion fromfishing which affect fishery resource to marine farming, other jobs for fishermen,exploiting in groups and teams to increase the timeon the sea, save the cost of moving fishing grounds, improve the efficiency of exploitation.

Attempts to remove "yellow card"

Besides the story of farming and exporting fishery products, the most noticeable issue at the present time is also removing the "yellow card" from exported fishery.

According to the original plan, from May 25 to June 5, 2020, the delegation of the General Department of Marine and Fisheries Affairs of the EC (DG-Mare) would come to Vietnam for a third inspection of implementing the recommendations of the EC on combating IUU fishing (after two previous inspections in May 2018 and November 2019). However, due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the inspection schedulehas been delayed and the EC has not finalized the exact time in the future.

Mr. Nguyen Van Trung, Director of Department of Fisheries (General Department of Fisheries) assessed that, in particular, against IUU fishing, there were currently two "big holes". The first was handling of administrative violations in localities. When strictly handling administrative violations, other issues such as licenses, output on ports would be better observed. The second was handling of illegal fishing vessels in foreign waters.

Ms. Phan Thi Hue, Director of the Legal - Inspection Department (General Department of Fisheries) added that from the EC’s inspectionat the end of 2019 to now, sanctioning violations in localities had seen positive progress. There were many sanctioning decisions with high fines for the previous acts that had not been sanctioned, such as fishing boats which did not maintain the cruise monitoring equipment.

After sanctioning violations, localities posted public information in the area.However, at present, localities were facing legal boundary issues related to infringing fishing vessels in foreign waters.

"Currently, in addition to direct guidance, the General Department of Fisheries is studying the advisory documents to send the localities in the direction that the localities must be fiercefor the watersbeing clearly defined and clearly delimited,the localities must make a list of all ships notified of the violation by the foreign country or reported the violationby the Vietnamese competent authorities for overlapping waters. It is the basis for Vietnam to work with the EC.

In the latest inspection, the EC has accepted Vietnam's proposal that violating fishing vessels in the overlapping waters compile a list of monitoring, listing them as high-riskbut not sanctioned, it must sanctionfishing vesselsviolating in theclearly definedwaters,” Ms. Hue said.

According to Mr. Ha Le, Deputy Director of the Fisheries Control Bureau (General Department of Fisheries), the situation of fishermen violating in foreign waters, especially in the overlapping waters of Malaysia, was very complicated.

"It is expected that at the end of July 2020, there will be a meeting of the National Steering Committee for IUU. In this meeting, the bureau will advise solutions to prevent the violation of Vietnamese fishing vessels inforeign waters," said Mr. Ha Le.

Promote agriculture and fishery exports in the post-Covid-19 period: Remove barriers for aquatic product exports VCN - Many obstacles and barriers affecting the production and export of aquatic products have been proposed ...

In the face of shortcomings and problems in removing the "yellow card", Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien requested the General Department of Fisheriesto strengthen the direction, guidance, inspection and urge localities to implement the task of combating IUU exploitation, overcoming existing problems and limitations in the organization of implementation; promoting information and communication on Vietnam's efforts and determination in combating IUU fishing and implementing EC recommendations; strengthen propaganda, training, and dissemination of laws for fishermen to raise the awareness of law observance and combat IUU fishing; prepare the plan, the content of working with the EC Inspection Delegation to Vietnam for the fourth time.