Sustainable fishing a must for yellow card removal

It is scheduled that the European Commission (EC) will launch a fifth inspection next month in Vietnam on abiding by its regulations to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing imposed in 2017 with a “yellow card” for the country.

This month, Vietnam’s authorised agencies will have to submit an official anti-IUU report to the EC.

All fishing vessels are required to abide by the EU regulation to prevent, deter, and eliminate IUU fishing, photo le Toan

“Based on the results of this report, we will send an inspection delegation to Vietnam to see whether the situation has met our requirements or not, and then will decide on the removal of the yellow card,” said Vice-President of the EC, and high representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles.

“In order to remove the yellow card, both the EU and Vietnam will have to make greater efforts to ensure sustainable fishery development,” he told VIR during his working visit to the country last month.

The EU has been working with Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on strong measures to prevent IUU fishing, such as installation of the vessel-monitoring system (VMS), and punishment of any violations.

More than a week ago, the Government Office released a conclusion following an urgent conference chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on fighting IUU fishing in Hanoi late last month.

The PM ordered that leaders of ministries, committees, sectors, and localities of the 28 coastal cities and provinces “completely solve issues and limitations” regarding IUU fishing.

“It is a must to prioritise the allocation of resources to prevent and end the situation of fishing vessels illegally exploiting seafood in foreign waters, especially in the provinces of Kien Giang, Ca Mau, and Binh Dinh,” the conclusion read. “It is a must for the police and patrols to coordinate with local authorities in key fishing areas: both to propagate and mobilise, and promptly detect and prevent early and from a far fishing vessels and fishermen intending to illegally go fishing in foreign waters.”

PM Chinh has tasked Ministry of Public Security (MoPS) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to coordinate closely with localities to investigate, prosecute, and bring to trial cases of law violations related to brokerage and connection to bring fishing vessels and fishermen to illegally exploit foreign waters, and violations regarding disconnecting, sending, and transporting VMS equipment.

So far, one violation case has been detected in the southern province of Kien Giang, with four people sentenced to a total of 22 years imprisonment.

The MARD is required to continue organising working groups to inspect and guide localities to implement the task of combating IUU fishing. It has to coordinate with ministries, sectors, and localities to develop and carefully prepare the plan and overall content for the EC’s upcoming inspection delegation.

The MoD is tasked to establish a specialised task force to prevent and thoroughly handle Vietnamese fishing vessels illegally exploiting seafood in foreign waters. It has to focus on directing, increasing patrols, inspections, and controls in the waters bordering Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia to promptly prevent and handle fishing vessels showing signs of illegal exploitation in foreign waters.

Meanwhile, the MoPS is tasked to direct the police at all levels and the police of 28 coastal provinces and centrally-run cities to urgently investigate and prosecute organisations and individuals involved in brokerage; collusion to bring fishing vessels and fishermen to illegally exploit seafood in foreign waters; and violations of installation, management, and use of VMS equipment for illegal seafood exploitation in accordance with regulations.

The government also required that all fishing vessels participating in aquatic exploitation must turn on VMS devices around the clock according to regulations from the time they leave the port to the time they return to the port.

Sanctions must be imposed on all fishing vessels that violate the VMS disconnection regulations (six hours without reporting position, and not returning fishing vessels to shore for more than 10 days), and those exceeding the allowed boundary at sea.

Over recent years, all fishing farmers have been warned about punishments if they violate regulations, and the government has ordered all coastal localities to take strong action plans against IUU fishing.

Meanwhile, Vietnam is a signatory of the Food and Agriculture Oganization’s Agreement on Port State Measures, which is aimed to prevent, deter, and eliminate IUU fishing via the adoption and implementation of effective measures to ensure the long-term conservation and sustainable use of living marine resources.

Additionally, under the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, IUU fishing is prohibited as it promotes sustainable aquaculture.

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, Vietnam’s total fishery export turnover hit $9.2 billion last year, down 8 per cent as compared to the initial target. This year, the figure is set to be $9.5-10 billion. For the EU market, the figure reached $952 million last year, expected to be about the same in 2024. In the first seven months of 2024, the figure hit $600 million, up 10 per cent on-year.

Under the yellow card, all fishery containers from Vietnam into the EU are kept for examination of origin, with 2-3 days under customs clearance, inducing high costs for exporters. At present, Vietnam boasts over 270 ports with a total capacity of over 550 million tonnes of cargo a year.

Government vows to stamp out unregulated fishing The Vietnamese government is doing its utmost to prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing practices, helped along by moves in Europe to remove warnings on the country’s activities.

Removal of fishing “yellow card” an urgent task: Deputy PM Vietnam has been doing its utmost to fight Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in an attempt to lift the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” warning against its seafood exports and avoid a “red card” which could lead to a trade ban.

Vietnam to deploy action plan to remove fishing yellow card With the right approach and modifications, Vietnam should be able to have its yellow card for unregulated fishing removed, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has said.

Vietnam in efforts to remove IUU fishing ‘yellow card’ Officials from the European Commission are working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Vietnam’s efforts to put paid to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing so as to boost seafood exports to Europe.