Coast Guard proposes many drastic solutions to combat IUU

On April 14, in Phu Quoc City, Kien Giang Province, the Command of Coast Guard Region 4 held a conference to discuss solutions to continue implementing the task of preventing and combating IUU.

The conference aims to find specific, practical and effective solutions, focusing on synchronously and drastically implementing solutions to combat IUU violations. Clearly identify the responsibility of collectives and individuals, contributing to the end of the EC's "Y yellow card" for Vietnamese seafood exports in the coming time.

Recently, the situation of Vietnamese fishing vessels crossing the border into foreign waters and being caught and handled by foreign authorities has decreased significantly. However, Vietnamese fishing vessels violating IUU, especially violations of the use of VMS (trip monitoring) equipment, still occur with many more sophisticated tricks.

From April 2024 to present, the Command of Coast Guard Region 4 has mobilized and used 123 ships and boats on duty to fight, patrol, control, and prevent IUU violations in the coastal areas bordering Vietnam - Thailand - Malaysia. Inspected and propagated nearly 6,500 vessels, of which 338 cases/391 fishing vessels were fined for violations in the fisheries sector, with a total fine of nearly 6 billion VND.

Investigate, verify and hand over records of evidence and means related to 21 cases/33 ships with signs of the crime of "Illegal transportation of goods across the border" and the crime of "Inhibiting or disrupting the operation of computer networks, telecommunications networks, electronic means" to the police agencies of Kien Giang, Ca Mau, and Soc Trang provinces for investigation and handling according to their authority. issues a decision to prosecute 2 criminal cases for the crime of "Organizing brokerage for others to illegally enter and exit". Of which, local People's Courts at all levels have tried 3 cases, sentencing 18 defendants to a total of more than 96 years in prison.

At the conference, the authorities promoted a sense of responsibility, closely followed the requirements of the tasks, proposed many practical policies and measures, in line with reality, with high feasibility to contribute to the effective implementation of IUU prevention and control tasks in the coming time.

Concluding the conference, Major General Tran Van Luong - Commander of the Region - assigned specific tasks to each agency and unit and requested Party committees and commanders at all levels to thoroughly grasp and seriously and effectively implement the measures.

Actively innovate the content and forms of propaganda and dissemination of legal education to raise awareness among Party committees, authorities, cadres, Party members and fishermen about sustainable development of the seafood industry and combating IUU fishing. In particular, focusing on propaganda both on site and locally, focusing on direct propaganda to fishing boat owners and captains at fishing ports and wharves.

Deploy many synchronous solutions to strictly handle violations of the law related to VMS equipment such as: Closely coordinate between specialized agencies; periodically review the results of coordination with localities in managing fishing vessels that lose signal...

Tightly and effectively organize forces and means to observe, grasp the goals and activities of fishing vessels on the field, promptly detect signs of violations.

Increase the force for ships performing tasks at sea, assign Navy-level officers in charge of each ship and group of ships; continue to organize and use forces reasonably and scientifically; improve the effectiveness of patrolling, checking and controlling fleets on the ground, promptly detect and strictly handle IUU violations.

Closely coordinate between legal agencies, combine investigation, verification and handling to properly assess the methods and tricks of IUU violations by fishing vessels, grasp the nature, thoroughly and thoroughly handle the issues.

Read the original here