The National Assembly has passed a revised law on fisheries as Việt Nam prepares a national plan to prevent, minimise and eradicate illegal fishing by 2025.
According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vũ Văn Tám The, revised law progresses from the Law on Fisheries issued in 2003 and now complies with international laws on protection of aquaculture resources. The regulation on fishing licensing is a form of management applied in many countries. Granting quotas would be based on evaluation of aquaculture reserves to ensure sustainable exploitation.The granting of licences would be decentralised to provincial people’s commitees.
Under the revised law, fishing regulations are based on aquaculture reserves. The law regulates that local governments take responsibility for fishing controls. Besides, local governments have to set up plans for aqua-breeding areas for protection and preservation. The governement would control fishing by granting licences for boats as well as managing the building of new boats. Under the revisions, IUU fishing would be heavily fined. Fishing boat owners and captains would be given the highest fines of VNĐ1 billion (US$44,000) for violations. The organisations involved in IUU fishing would be fined VNĐ2 billion (US$88,000). Apart from this, fishing licences would be revoked.
In the future, Việt Nam would apply regulations depending on the season, like in many other countries. In fact, the Law on Fisheries in 2003 did have this regulation, but it was not implemented. Moreover, the revised law gives stricter sanctions to overfishing.
Recently, the Prime Minister asked local governments to take measures to prevent Vietnamese fishermen from illegally fishing in foreign seas. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has also set up a national plan of action to control IUU fishing.
VFM
