On September 27, Mr. Tran Van Phuc - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Binh Dinh province - said that the People's Council of Binh Dinh province has approved a policy to support funding for purchasing and installing voyage monitoring equipment (TBGSHT) on fishing boats of Binh Dinh fishermen, with lengths from 12m to under 15m.
218 fishing vessels under special surveillance
According to Mr. Tran Van Phuc, Binh Dinh has seriously implemented the fight against IUU fishing. However, since the beginning of 2024, the situation of Binh Dinh fishing vessels violating foreign waters has remained complicated, increasing compared to the same period in 2023.
The fishing vessels that violated the law were mainly vessels with a length of 12m to under 15m, not required to install GPS tracking devices according to regulations, fishing for squid in the southern provinces, and not returning to their localities every year. To prevent fishing vessels from "crossing the border" to exploit, the province has required this group of fishing vessels to install GPS tracking devices.
"The law and decrees do not require ships from 12m to under 15m to install GPS tracking devices, however this is a specific policy of Binh Dinh province. The province currently has 148/218 fishing vessels from 12m to under 15m in length installed with GPS tracking devices," said Mr. Phuc.
Mr. Phuc added that Binh Dinh will support 50% of the cost of purchasing and installing GPS devices for 1 fishing boat/time, but not exceeding 10 million VND/device/boat. The support period is until the end of 2024.
Fishing boats "cross the border" to catch fish, affecting national honor
Regarding the installation of GPS tracking devices on fishing vessels that are not required, Vice Chairman of Binh Dinh Provincial People's Committee Lam Hai Giang said that this is a "situational" solution to manage groups of vessels at high risk of violating foreign waters, in order to remove the EC's yellow card.
Regarding the cost of supporting fishing vessels to install GPS devices, Mr. Ho Quoc Dung - Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of Binh Dinh province said that this is a necessary action to join hands to remove the IUU yellow card.
Mr. Ho Quoc Dung said: "This is not an economic issue, but is related to the honor of the nation, the prestige of the country. Therefore, it is determined that the entire political system, from the central to local levels, must get involved, doing everything possible to join hands to remove the IUU yellow card."
According to Mr. Ho Quoc Dung, in October 2024, the EU will send the 5th inspection team to Vietnam.
Regarding the situation of fishing vessels cutting off and sending TBGSHT to other fishing vessels, the Politburo and the Secretariat have assigned the Supreme People's Court and the Council of Judges to issue Resolution 04 on criminal prosecution for acts related to illegal exploitation, trading, and transportation of aquatic products.
