A boat fishes off Phú Quốc City in Kiên Giang Province. – VNA/VNS Photo Ngọc Hà

KIÊN GIANG – Nearly all fishing boats in Kiên Giang Province with a length of at least 15 metres have black boxes installed to monitor fishing activities, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Of the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province’s 3,666 such boats, 3,664 have the device and the other two boats are in the process of installation.

Authorities are strengthening oversight of fishing activities, registration of boats and supply of catches to processors for export.

They have also taken measures to prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Lê Hữu Toàn, deputy director of the department, said the focus was on preventing IUU fishing and oversight of the industry, and tough penalties were mooted for violations of fishing and marine-resources protection regulations.

It would step up advocacy to educate fishermen on these regulations.

It would survey fishing near shore and offshore, and, based on the results, reorganise fishing activities, he said.

With more than 200km of coastline and more than 140 islands, the province is well equipped for developing fishing and marine aquaculture.  

It reported catches of more than 568,800 tonnes of fish and other species last year, 6.9 per cent higher than the target, according to the department.

It also instructed boat owners to register for seafood origin traceability and exported 472 tonnes of seafood to the EU last year. – VNS