Cai Rong Port: Key to fisheries control, helping remove the IUU 'yellow card'

Cai Rong Fish Port (Van Don district, Quang Ninh province) is one of the largest and most important fish ports in the activities of fishing, purchasing, and distributing seafood. In particular, this is the only fish port with a complete fisheries control system that meets the standards for managing and controlling the origin of seafood.

In an interview with the Vietnam Agriculture and Nature Newspaper, Mr. Luu Van Duy, Standing Member of the Fishing Vessel Inspection and Control Team at Cai Rong Fish Port, shared: "Currently, all fishing vessels entering and leaving the port are required to make declarations, present the relevant administrative documents. They must also fully update information about their seafood catch. At the same time, specialized forces strictly monitor to ensure that all fishing activities comply with the legal regulations."

"With our tracking system, we can quickly monitor the status of each vessel and take appropriate measures. For example, if a vessel is operating near the boundary, we issue a warning. If a vessel loses connection, we contact the ship owner to investigate the cause," Mr. Luu Van Duy added.

After being mobilized and informed by local authorities, Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan (the owner of fishing vessel QN-90070) immediately completed the required procedures. While showing us around his boat, Mr. Tuan happily shared: "This is the vessel monitoring system (VMS). We constantly check to ensure that it’s working properly. Moreover, we fishermen remind each other to fish within the designated areas, never crossing the boundaries, and always comply with all legal regulations."

Sharing the same mindset as Mr. Tuan, Mr. Tong Van Que (Ha Phong ward, Ha Long city) stated: "Before each trip, I must thoroughly check and declare in accordance with the regulations. I also prepare all the necessary documents. After being briefed by the officials on IUU fishing prevention, my colleagues and I always remind each other to strictly comply with the regulations so that our country can soon have the EC's 'yellow card' lifted."

Currently, Quang Ninh province has a total of 6.217 fishing vessels, including 1.898 vessels under 6 meters in length, 3.570 vessels ranging from 6 to 12 meters, 483 vessels between 12 and under 15 meters, and 265 vessels over 15 meters. Some of the localities with the largest number of vessels include Quang Yen with 2.145 vessels (accounting for 34%) and Van Don with 1.358 vessels (accounting for 21.8%).

To contribute to lifting the "yellow card" as soon as possible, Quang Ninh has implemented a variety of comprehensive solutions. Among them, raising awareness among fishermen about combating IUU fishing has been carried out through various forms, tailored to the specific conditions of each locality. These efforts aim to ensure that all fishermen fully understand the importance of complying with regulations.

The fishing vessel control efforts have been carried out resolutely, with a firm stance against allowing any vessel to participate in fishing activities if it does not comply with regulations. In addition, law enforcement agencies have coordinated to inspect and address IUU fishing violations.

In 2024, the province handled two significant cases (one involving a fine of over 200 million VND and another over 400 million VND) for violations related to the disconnection of VMS devices. The provincial police have also initiated criminal proceedings against three fishing vessel owners for the offense of destroying aquatic resources.

Mr. Phan Thanh Nghi, Deputy Director of the Quang Ninh Department of Agriculture and Environment, shared: "In strict adherence to the regulations on combating IUU fishing, Quang Ninh province has focused on completing the registration process for 100% of vessels according to regulations for those with a length of 6 meters or more. At the same time, province has also conducted an inventory to manage vessels that are under 6 meters in length. For vessels operating in nearshore and offshore waters, the province has implemented very stringent management measures, ensuring that the offshore fleet is monitored closely through the VPS tracking system. Our unit is working tirelessly to ensure that the fleet strictly adheres to the designated fishing areas, with particular emphasis on preventing violations of maritime boundaries."

$ 1 = VND 25.950 - Source: Vietcombank.