US helps strengthen Fisheries Law Enforcement in Vietnam

The signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen Vietnam’s fisheries management and law enforcement capabilities (Photo: VNA)

The signatories to the MoU were Tran Dinh Luan, Director General of the Directorate of Fisheries (DFISH) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink.

Under the signed document, the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) will provide technical assistance to enhance the capacity of DFISH and the Department of Fisheries Resources Surveillance (DFIRES) through information sharing, best practices, and implementation of relevant technical programs and projects.

The MOU is also expected to foster greater cooperation among Vietnam, the US, and international law enforcement agencies to ensure sustainable living marine resources and combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

“The United States has a great deal of experience in managing fisheries and enforcing regulations, which we are more than happy to share. We look forward to working together with Vietnam to strengthen the sustainability of its fisheries and support its fishers against illegal intimidation”, US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink said at the signing ceremony.

Since 2015, the United States and DFISH have worked together to strengthen Vietnam’s capacity for fisheries management and enforcement through technical training, study visits, and other assistance activities.

In February 2021, INL will transfer to DFIRES a training facility at Region 5 in Phu Quoc, which will significantly improve human resources capacity for DFIRES and the local fisheries enforcement units in Vietnam’s 28 coastal provinces.