100% of fishing vessels operating at sea have cruise monitoring equipment installed

As of mid-March 2021, Thanh Hoa still has 50% of fishing vessels operating at sea without cruise monitoring equipment installed.

Many fishing vessels operating in high seas and lowland areas in coastal localities have installed communication equipment but have not registered to use radio frequencies and each ship has to use a different frequency. Some fishermen have registered frequencies but do not use them... Therefore, the management of transceiver frequencies for fishermen at sea face many challenges, especially when the weather changes abnormally.

This is a major obstacle in overcoming the European Commission's (EC) recommendations against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

To overcome this challenge, on July 17, 2021, Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Council issued Resolution No. 21/2021/NQ-HDND on mechanisms and policies to support the purchase of cruise monitoring equipment and subscription fees for owners of fishing vessels with a length of over 15m in the province.

Accordingly, the level of support for purchasing cruise monitoring equipment is 10 million VND/fishing vessel and support for subscription fees for tracking equipment on fishing vessels according to actual invoices not exceeding 300,000 VND/month/fishing boat.

After an implementation period of the support policy, by the beginning of 2022, 100% of the fishing vessels operating at sea have installed cruise monitoring equipment. Vessels that have not installed or are in the process of being converted, purchased or sold have signed a commitment not to operate at sea.

Currently, Thanh Hoa Department of Fisheries is coordinating with People's Committees of coastal districts, towns and cities to continue to provide financial support for equipment installation, guiding, granting licenses, extending the use of communication and cruise monitoring equipment to local fishing vessel owners according to new regulations.

Through propaganda, Thanh Hoa fishermen understand the legal provisions on the use of radio frequencies and equipment on fishing vessels; how to use communication frequencies in urgent cases with the border guard station, frequencies for maritime distress in Vietnam and internationally...; regulations and methods of using the same frequency in communication between fishing vessels to help fishermen use the frequency legally and in accordance with regulations, contributing to ensuring security and safety at sea.

A representative of Thanh Hoa Department of Fisheries added that, along with the implementation of the policy to support the installation of cruise monitoring equipment, the unit will coordinate with relevant forces to inspect and handle fishing vessels without a license to use radio frequencies and require licensing procedures according to instructions.

Satellite cruise monitoring device

On August 13th, 2021, the Ministry of Information and Communications issued Circular No. 04/2021/TT-BTTTT detailing and guiding procedures for granting licenses to radio frequencies; leasing or lending radio equipment; sharing radio frequencies. Thus, radio stations installed on fishing vessels are expanded to include satellite cruise monitoring equipment instead of only HF communication equipment as before. The reduction of administrative procedures according to Circular No. 04/2021/TT-BTTTT will bring practical benefits to fishermen and facilitate, encourage the installation of cruise monitoring equipment on fishing vessels, contributing to early resolution of the "Yellow card" on fishing by the EC.