Fishing boats in Mekong Delta province of Cà Mau. — VNA/VNS Photo

CÀ MAU — The Mekong Delta province of Cà Mau is working hard to deal with shortcomings and limitations as recommended by the European Commission (EC), relating to the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Local agencies at all levels have regarded the combat as an urgent and regular task and have mobilised resources for the work, joining the country’s efforts in removing the EC’s “yellow card” warning, and building a responsible fishery sector with sustainable development and international integration.

The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said up to 99 per cent of fishing boats, measuring 15m and above in length, have installed monitoring devices.

The cooperation of ship owners will make it easier for competent agencies to monitor fishing activities and handle incidents at sea, it said.

The Chairperson of the provincial People’s Committee has ordered competent forces to regularly check the vessel monitoring system, saying any violations must be strictly handled.

On October 23, 2017, the EC issued a "yellow card" warning against Việt Nam's seafood, after the country failed to demonstrate sufficient progress in the fight against IUU fishing.

Countries that fail to meet EC standards are given a "yellow card", followed by a "green card" if the problems are resolved, or a "red card" if they are not. A red card can lead to a trade ban on seafood products.

According to the EC's requirements, the Vietnamese seafood sector had to implement nine recommendations, included revisions of the legal framework to ensure compliance with international and regional rules, applicable to the conservation and management of fisheries resources; ensuring the effective implementation and enforcement of the country’s revised laws; and strengthening the effective implementation of international rules and management measures.

The EC also wanted Việt Nam to issue sanctions and increase the level of sanctions against IUU fishing, which should be written in the revised Law on Fisheries, and give concrete evidence proving Việt Nam’s efforts in the fight against IUU fishing. — VNS