Prime Minister calls for strict actions against VMS regulatory violations

In Official Telegram No. 49/CD-TTg dated May 15, 2024, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called for a concerted effort to detect, investigate, and verify information to address Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) regulatory violations.

The Official Telegram, addressed to the Ministers of Agriculture and Rural Development, Information and Communication, Justice, Public Security, National Defense, and the Chairpersons of Provincial People's Committees in coastal provinces and municipalities, specified:

After over six years of synchronous implementation of anti-IUU (illegal, unreported, and unregulated) fishing tasks and solutions, with the aim of removing the European Commission's "yellow card" warning, Vietnam's management over fisheries exploitation has exhibited positive developments and achieved significant results, particularly in the installation and operation of VMS. However, Vietnamese fishing vessels are still engaging in illegal fisheries exploitation activities within foreign waters.

The primary underlying cause is twofold. Firstly, there is a notable prevalence of fishing vessels violating VMS regulations; however, the rate of penalty enforcement against violators is limited. Failure to penalize fishing vessels violating VMS regulations can negatively affect the removal of EC's IUU "yellow card" in 2024. Notably, continued inaction can potentially escalate this warning to a "red card" during the upcoming fifth inspection by the European Commission.

Secondly, relevant authorities fail to effectively prioritize and perform their assigned tasks. Leadership figures across all administrative levels, including departments, committees, sectors, and local government agencies, exhibit a lack of responsibility in leading and implementing the directives issued by the Party Central Committee, the Government, and the Prime Minister.

Vietnam's determined effort to remove the IUU "yellow card" was present in the Party Central Committee's Directive No. 32-CT/TW dated April 10, 2024, which focused on enhancing the Party's leadership in anti-IUU fishing activities and promoting sustainable development of the fisheries sector; Resolution No. 52/NQ-CP dated April 22, 2024, which outlined the Government's Action Program and Plan to implement Directive No. 32-CT/TW; the Prime Minister's Official Telegram No. 1058/CD-TTg dated November 4, 2023, which highlighted key urgent anti-IUU fishing tasks and solutions, with the aim of removing the EC's "yellow card". Accordingly, the Prime Minister has requested relevant Ministers and Chairpersons of Provincial People's Committees in coastal provinces and municipalities to strictly comply with the Party Central Committee's directives in leading and guiding subordinate agencies. High-level officials are urged to heighten their sense of responsibility; and focus on directing the implementation of anti-IUU fishing tasks and solutions in an effective manner. Furthermore, the Prime Minister has emphasized the importance of detecting, investigating, and verifying information in effectively addressing VMS regulatory violations, with the goal of removing the EC's "yellow card" during the upcoming fifth inspection, which is scheduled for September 2024 - October 2024.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in coordination with the Ministries of Information and Communications, Justice, Transport, Public Security, National Defense, and the Provincial People's Committees in coastal provinces and municipalities, is tasked with:

Reviewing the VMS system (including hardware and software); continuously improving vessel management features to facilitate the immediate detection of unauthorized disconnection and transfer of VMS devices between fishing vessels. The deadline for this task is set for the third quarter of 2024.

Establishing a streamlined information-sharing framework among stakeholders to promptly detect VMS regulatory violations. This information must be promptly transferred to relevant agencies for thorough investigation and verification, thereby reinforcing evidential records for regulatory enforcement; Conducting extensive communication activities regarding penalties for fishing vessels and fishermen to provide warning, enhance awareness, and educate the community. The deadline for this task is set for the third quarter of 2024.

Leading and coordinating efforts, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, to provide guidance and oversee compliance with the Law on Fisheries and the Government's Decree No. 37/2024/ND-CP dated April 4, 2024. Notably, the latter document amended and supplemented several articles under the Government's Decree No. 26/2019/ND-CP dated March 8, 2019, which regulated the implementation of the Law on Fisheries; and the Government's Decree No. 38/2024/ND-CP dated April 5, 2024, which regulated administrative penalties in the fisheries sector.

The Prime Minister has assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (the Standing Agency of the National Steering Committee on anti-IUU fishing) to inspect, monitor, summarize, and report on the implementation results of this Official Telegram to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang - Head of the National Steering Committee on anti-IUU fishing.