Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phùng Đức Tiến. VNA/VNS Photos

The European Commission (EC) inspection team will visit Việt Nam for the fifth time in October this year. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phùng Đức Tiến spoke with Vietnam News Agency about the immediate tasks that need to be carried out to ensure the best outcome from the EC inspection, with the aim of lifting the 'yellow card' warning related to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Could you provide an update on how Việt Nam has improved since the previous EC inspections?

Compared to the four previous inspections, Việt Nam has made relatively positive progress.

Regarding the legal framework, the country already has the 2017 Fisheries Law and relevant decrees and circulars have been fully issued.

Notably, the Government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have recently revised two decrees and corresponding circulars to comprehensively manage the fishing fleet.

In addition, the export documentation for seafood to the EU now largely meets the requirements for both domestically caught and imported products. Electronic traceability has been implemented at over 70 fishing ports.

The handling of law violations has been more stringent, with relevant agencies and local authorities prosecuting and trying 11 criminal cases. These actions have reinforced the law and served as a deterrent to those who continue to violate regulations, including sending workers to fish in foreign waters.

In recent years, the Party and the State have strengthened their directive efforts on this issue. Following Document No 81-CV/TW issued on March 20, 2020 on enhancing leadership and guidance for the effective prevention of IUU fishing, the Party Secretariat issued Directive No 32-CT/TW on April 10, 2024 regarding strengthening the Party's leadership in combating IUU fishing and promoting sustainable development in the fisheries sector.

Additionally, the Government passed Resolution No 52/NQ-CP on April 22, 2024 to implement the action programme and plan in response to Directive No 32-CT/TW. The Supreme People's Court also issued Resolution 04/2024/NQ-HĐTP, which provides guidelines on applying certain provisions of the Penal Code related to the prosecution of illegal fishing, trading and transportation of seafood.

Since October 23, 2017, 13 conferences chaired by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, along with 11 official documents, directives and communications, have shown that over the past seven years, the Party, Government, Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister – head of the national IUU steering committee – have been very resolute in addressing this issue. Thus, effective implementation remains the key to lifting the IUU 'yellow card'.

However, certain issues persist in Việt Nam’s fisheries sector despite the EC's recommendations. These include the management and monitoring of fishing vessels and administrative enforcement, which have yet to achieve the desired results.

What role should local authorities play in this critical period?

During the four previous inspections by the EC, they confirmed that at the central level, the legal framework has been established and meets the requirements to lift the card. However, the challenge lies in the implementation and the lack of strong commitment from local Party committees and local leaders.

Documents such as No 81-CV/TW and Directive No 32-CT/TW analyse both the achievements and shortcomings, identifying the causes and solutions. The Government’s Resolution No 52/NQ-CP also clearly outlines the tasks that need to be addressed.

All fishing vessels in the south central province of Bình Thuận are equipped with VMS (vessel monitoring system) devices.

Recently, the Prime Minister held a meeting with the Party secretaries and chairpersons of the People’s Committees from 28 coastal provinces and cities, issuing firm directives and emphasising the responsibility of local leaders. The involvement of local authorities from now until the EC’s fifth inspection is crucial and will be decisive in removing the 'yellow card'.

What plans does the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have to support local authorities in combating IUU fishing?

The ministry has conducted numerous working groups, with some fishing ports being inspected up to five times. Each inspection involves reviewing the fishing logs in detail and identifying areas where improvements are needed, but the implementation has been limited.

Since the issuance of Directive No 32-CT/TW, each inspection group has included the participation of the provincial Party Standing Committees and after each visit, official reports have been sent to the Standing Committee, the Party secretary and the provincial leaders for follow-up action.

When announcing Resolution No 04/2024/NQ-HĐTP, Supreme People’s Court Chief Justice (now Deputy Prime Minister) Nguyễn Hòa Bình emphasised that the resolution was not aimed at fishermen, but at those who violate the law and deliberately involve fishermen in illegal fishing in foreign waters.

Communication and education, combined with administrative enforcement, will be essential for implementing Directive No 32-CT/TW. Alongside directing state management and law enforcement agencies, Việt Nam must continue raising awareness among fishermen, helping them understand that as the country integrates into the global economy and exports products to nearly 180 countries and territories, so it must comply with the principles and regulations set by the markets.

This is not just a requirement of the EU but also of countries like Japan and the United States. – VNS