VASEP, Vietnam Coast Guard step up cooperation against illegal fishing

October 26, 2017 | 11:00

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The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) and the Vietnam Coast Guard High Command will join hands to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, per a Memorandum of Understanding inked between the two sides on October 24.

VASEP and Vietnam Coast Guard High Command will join hands to fight IUU fishing. (Photo: VNA)

The two sides agreed to coordinate in carrying out the national action programme on combating IUU fishing.

Information on Vietnamese and foreign IUU fishing vessels will be exchanged between the two organisations and consultancy on anti-IUU fishing programmes will be promoted.

The Vietnamese Coast Guard will enhance inspection and supervision to detect IUU fishing vessels and work with foreign coast guards to prevent illegal fishing. Meanwhile, VASEP will help the coast guard authority to investigate and verify fishing violations.

Both sides will cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and local aquatic management agencies to establish and operate a fishery database centre to trace IUU vessel origins.

Earlier, the European Commission issued a “yellow card” warning to Vietnam as the country failed to demonstrate sufficient progress in the fight against IUU fishing. Vietnam has six months to rectify the situation and if there is no improvement, the country will receive a red card, banning its seafood exports to the EU.

VNA

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