General inspection of fishing vessels, combating IUU fishing in the Southwestern waters

Mobilizing total forces to join

In order to enforce laws at sea in the field of fisheries, the Steering Committees on IUU of Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces, Coast Guard Region 4 Command, the 5^th Regional Command, the 28^th Border Guard Squadron, and the Sub-Department of Fisheries Surveillance Region V agreed to develop a plan to coordinate general inspection of fishing vessels at sea and combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the waters of Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces.

Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces arrange for all vehicles qualified for operation by the existing Fisheries Surveillance and Border Guard of each locality to participate in general inspection activities within the waters of each province. The inspection delegation will base on the vehicles performing their duties at sea to direct them to participate in the general inspection of fishing vessels in the operating area.

In addition to the main force available on each vehicle according to the payroll, the delegation will be supplemented with forces from functional agencies and members of the Steering Committee of each province participating in the inspection in its local waters. The Coast Guard Region 4 Command, 5^th Regional Command, 28^th Border Guard Squadron, and Sub-Department of Fisheries Surveillance Region V sent officers to participate in joint patrols with vehicles from Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces.

The implementation of coordinated activities between the forces of Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces, Coast Guard Region 4 Command, 5^th Regional Command, 28^th Border Guard Squadron, and Sub-Department of Fisheries Surveillance Region V will create favorable conditions for exchanging and learning experiences in the work of managing fishing activities in the waters of Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces.

Inspecting both at sea and on shore

Mr. Nguyen Phu Quoc, Director of the Sub-Department of Fisheries Surveillance Region V, said that the purpose of the coordination plan is to inspect fishing vessels at sea and combat IUU fishing in the waters of Ca Mau and Kien Giang, including coastal areas, offshore areas, and islands at sea, for high-risk ship groups. Subjects of inspection include fishing vessels on the missing list, expired registration (fishery exploitation license), expired registration (fishing vessel technical safety certificate), and fishing vessels that have lost their connection signal on shore or at sea for long days.

Inspecting the activities of fishing vessels with unregulated seafood exploitation aims to prevent, minimize, and eliminate IUU fishing by organizations and individuals in the waters of Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces. Especially, prevent and stop the situation of Ca Mau-Kien Giang fishing vessels and fishermen violating seafood exploitation in foreign waters. This aims to contribute to ensuring security and order in Vietnamese waters in general and in the waters of Ca Mau and Kien Giang in particular. At the same time, support, help, and create favorable conditions for fishermen during the seafood exploitation process.

During the coordination process, 100% of high-risk fishing vessels operating in the sea and land areas of Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces will be inspected for administrative procedures. Particularly for the onshore general inspection task, the functional forces and local government of each area carry out the review and inspection under the direction of the People's Committees of Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces.

At the same time, it is necessary to disseminate, educate, raise awareness and a sense of law observance, and monitor the implementation of regulations on the protection and sustainable development of aquatic resources, thereby contributing to responsible fisheries development and exploitation in an effective and sustainable way. In particular, focus on disseminating and mobilizing vessel owners and captains not to violate foreign waters and open 24-hour cruise monitoring equipment from the time they leave the port to operate at sea until they arrive at the port.