At the question-and-answer session on the morning of August 21, delegate Tran Thi Nhi Ha, National Assembly Delegation of Hanoi City, asked the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development that in 2024, our country's seafood industry will continue to face many challenges from the market, selling prices to challenges due to trade barriers. Especially in the context that it has been nearly 7 years since Vietnam received a yellow card warning from the European Commission (EC) on seafood activities.

The delegate asked the Minister to tell us what difficulties and obstacles the Ministry is currently facing in the process of lobbying the European Commission to remove the yellow card on fisheries for Vietnam? Does the Minister have any specific commitments to resolve this issue?

Responding to delegates about solutions to remove the IUU "yellow card", Minister Le Minh Hoan said that the main solution is still to effectively implement the Vietnam Fisheries Development Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045; the Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, approved by the Prime Minister. In which, fisheries development is based on three pillars: Reducing exploitation, increasing aquaculture and marine conservation, to ensure fishery reserves for future generations.

Minister Le Minh Hoan stated that the solutions to remove the IUU yellow card that we have implemented over the past 7 years have had certain results. We have also reorganized the fisheries control system, currently all 28 coastal localities have fisheries control forces; we have a Resolution of the Supreme People's Court's Council of Judges on criminalizing violations related to IUU.

Minister Le Minh Hoan answers questions. Photo: quochoi.vn

Although the number of ships has been reduced by 20,000 (from more than 100,000 to 86,000), compared to other countries in the region, Vietnam's number of ships is too large in the sea, affecting sustainable development.

In the coming time, we need to continue to demonstrate Vietnam's efforts in removing the IUU yellow card; coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of National Defense to implement the peak month.

However, the structure of the fisheries industry is fragmented, small-scale, and fragmented, but there is no institution to implement the community-based management of aquatic resources - this is also the content stipulated in the law.

According to Minister Le Minh Hoan, improving fishermen's knowledge and awareness in protecting aquatic resources and modern exploitation is a long-term solution to develop sustainable fisheries.

"We say it's a fishing profession, but we have never treated fishermen like professionals. According to our statistics, over 60% of fishermen have graduated from primary school, especially those who are illiterate. The modern fishing industry structure requires a higher level of human resources," said Mr. Hoan.

In the coming time, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training to improve the qualifications of fishermen so that they have the skills to exploit less but more effectively, protecting aquatic resources in the long term.