Border guards give flags and talk to fishermen about laws and regulations. — VNA/VNS Photo

QUẢNG NGÃI — Agencies in the coastal central province of Quảng Ngãi are simultaneously implementing measures in a crackdown on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

At fishing ports in the province, border guards and staff from the ports’ IUU Fishing Control Offices are coordinating to oversee fishing vessels that enter or leave the ports, ensuring that all vessels have all the required papers and operating VMS equipment before setting out to sea, as well as checking the origin of catches before issuing certificates.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyễn Ngọc Thanh, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Quảng Ngãi Border Guard said that they closely check all the vessels that are 15 metres long or more or those that go for offshore fishing to see if they have enough licenses and technical safety equipment, especially the vessel monitoring system (VMS). Without the required papers and equipment, the vessels are not allowed to leave the ports.

He emphasised that fishermen’s awareness of IUU fishing plays an important role in the fight against IUU fishing. All local fishermen commit to saying "No" to IUU fishing.

Director of Quang Ngai Fisheries Sub-Department Nguyễn Văn Mười said that being aware of the significance of the next inspection by the EC, the provincial Steering Committee on combating IUU fishing has proposed many solutions.

According to statistics of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, as of February, the province had 3,643 vessels with fishing licences. A total of 2,947 vessels with a length of 15 metres or more are required to install VMS.

Since the beginning of 2023, the local authorities have handled 249 fishing vessels for losing VMS connection, and 33 vessels for passing allowed sea boundary. Fifty-six vessels committing 58 violations were fined more than VNĐ10 billion (US$405,600). — VNS