Anti-IUU activities in Thanh Hoa province change positively

On September 23 afternoon, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien had a meeting with the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa province on the works on anti IUU fishing; and husbandry, and animal diseases prevention and control.

Previously, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien and a working group of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had a field trip at Hoang Truong fishing port, Hoang Hoa district, Thanh Hoa province.

According to Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, there are 6,675 fishing vessels in the province so far. The total number of fishing vessels that have been marked according to the provisions of Circular 23/2018/TT-BNNPTNT of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is 3,293 over 3,345 fishing vessels, reaching 98%.

In recent years, the management of fishing fleets according to the plan to protect and exploit aquatic resources has positively changed. Up to now, the province's 100% of fishing boats with 15 meters- length have installed the cruise monitoring equipment.

The fishing port management boards have concentrated human resources, gradually overcoming the limitations pointed out in the inspection by the Directorate of Fisheries, such as recording information about fishing vessels docking, landing output, collecting and exploit logs, etc.

Regarding law enforcement, functional forces have increased patrols, inspection, and control of fishing vessels in creeks and at sea on the observance of regulations on exploitation and protection of aquatic resources and anti-IUU fishing.

Thanh Hoa province's functional departments have refused to allow fishing vessels to operate at sea without installing cruise monitoring equipment or ensuring equipment and paperwork as prescribed.

Currently, the province has eight fishing ports and four storm shelters for fishing vessels. Although it is in operation, many construction items have deteriorated. Many creeks entering the port and the mooring area have sedimentation of mud, which has not met the requirements of anchoring, loading, and unloading products, making it difficult for vessels to enter and exit the port. It dramatically affects the EC's "yellow card" warning.

Regarding livestock production, there are 190,000 buffaloes in the province, 260,000 cows; nearly 1.2 million pigs; 22.4 million poultry.

In the first nine months of 2021, the output of live meat of all kinds is at over 183 thousand tonnes (nearly 75% of the plan and equal to 110.9% over the same period); egg production is at 135.3 million eggs (reach 77.3% of the plan). In addition, the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa province has approved the investment policy for 08 hi-tech pig breeding projects with a total investment of 7,728 billion fields, scale 22,400 sows and 420,000 pigs per year.

Recently, the vaccination of cattle and poultry in Thanh Hoa province has always reached a high rate. Therefore, diseases in livestock, poultry, and aquatic animals have been effectively controlled from the beginning of the year. Bovine bullous dermatitis occurred but was controlled and be declared free in early August 2021.

Mr. Le Duc Giang, Vice Chairman of Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, hopes to receive support on investment in building infrastructure for the development of fishing, aquaculture, and animal husbandry by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Concluding at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien highly appreciated the work of overcoming the EC's recommendations in IUU fishing and the animal diseases prevention and control in Thanh Hoa province.

The Deputy Minister suggested that Thanh Hoa province continue to review and strictly handle the compliance of fishers with painting fishing boats, installing cruise monitoring equipment, complying with the law in fishing, and tracing the seafood origin according to regulations.

He also requested that in the coming time, Thanh Hoa province continue to focus on reviewing the registration of fishing vessels and controlling fishing activities at sea, estuaries, crossings, and fishing ports. In addition, the locality has increased re-herd to support food shortages in the southern provinces due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic.