Bến Tre: Numbers of fishing vessels lost signals suddenly while working on the ocean, MARD requests an immediate supervision

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) requests the Bến Tre provincial People’s Committee to review and monitor closely the installation of the vessel monitoring system as many of them lost connections and operated in the wrong water, resulting in highly possible violation of illegal fishing in foreign water territory and bad impact to Vietnam’s effort in removing the “yellow card”. 

Bến Tre has installed the vessel monitoring system (VMS) on 96.5% of local fishing vessels and worked with other localities to monitor the registered fishing vessels. However, the supervision and management of fishing vessels on long-term trips face lots of difficulties, resulting in highly possible trespassing and illegal exploitation in foreign water territories. The certification of seafood exploitation as regulated has achieved only 59.62%, and the registration and marking of fishing vessels has reached only 50.74%.

As far as it’s concerned, the fact that VMS installed fishing vessels losing connection while operating in the ocean and exploiting in the wrong water area is popular. However, the verification and punishment have not been satisfactory. The use of monitoring data for investigation and surrounding of possibly trespassing vessels is not effective.

So as not to create negative impacts on Vietnam’s effort in fighting against IUU fishing and performance of the instructions given by the Prime Minister related to the removal of the EC’s yellow card in 2022, MARD requested the Bến Tre provincial People’s Committee to direct institutes to promptly review and grant seafood exploitation certificates and food safety certificates to fishing vessels, register and identify fishing vessels, input data of fishing vessels into the national fishery database as regulated so that the information searching and management of vessels docking in and out are facilitated.

Bến Tre must handle the rest of fishing vessels that have not installed the VMS and assure that the VMS must be online during the trip. The province must enhance the examination and supervision with placing responsibilities on leaders, especially local institutes, for controlling fishing vessels and strictly punishing organizations and individuals lacking responsibilities in the fight against IUU fishing; and especially enhance the organization and management of the fisheries in fishing ports.

Moreover, MARD requested the Cà Mau provincial People’s Committee to direct local competent authorities and forces to tightly control the docking in and out of fishing vessels registered in Bến Tre; and strictly handle cases violating the IUU fishing.

VFM