Large fishing ships at La Gi Fishing Port in Bình Thuận Province resumed operations on August 12. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thanh

BÌNH THUẬN — About 650 fishing ships have resumed operations at La Gi Fishing Port in Bình Thuận Province after being suspended for nearly three weeks due to the latest COVID-19 outbreak.

The port in the south-central province’s La Gi Town suspended operation from July 24 under the Prime Minister's Directive No.16 on COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

The town’s People’s Committee on August 12 issued a document to better manage fishing activities under social distancing. The fishing ships will be licensed to operate if crew members have negative COVID-19 test results within 72 hours prior to departure, and the ships install monitoring devices on board.

All ship owners and crew must fully comply with regulations and guidance on pandemic prevention and control measures of the government, local pandemic checkpoint and border guard stations, and inter-sectoral COVID-19 prevention and control stations.

Before leaving the port, the ship captain must have a departure card issued by the local pandemic checkpoint and border guard station.

The ship owner can ask the port management board to prepare food, fuel and other necessities for offshore fishing trips.

After boarding the ship, the crew must stay on board until the ship leaves the port to minimise the risk of infections.

The ship captain must inform the port’s management board about the ship’s registration number and the amount of caught seafood at least three hours in advance before entering the port.

The caught seafood must be unloaded and transported out of the port under the guidance of the port management board.

La Gi Town is one of several COVID-19 hotspots in the province with more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases recorded.

La Gi Fishing Port has the highest density of ships entering and leaving the province and a large-scale anchorage for more than 2,000 ships to avoid storms.

Bình Thuận is one of the four largest fishing grounds in Việt Nam. The province’s fishing industry has gained positive achievements due to COVID-19 prevention and control measures, favourable weather, and cooperation among business firms. — VNS