Unable to remove "Yellow Card" causing great difficulties for fishermen's lives

On the same afternoon, in Nam Cuong commune (Tien Hai, Thai Binh), Thai Binh Provincial People's Committee coordinated with Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper to organize the program "Lighting up the sea with fishermen".

Vice Chairman of Thai Binh Provincial People's Committee Pham Van Nghiem; Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper Dinh Duc Tho and delegates who are leaders of departments, branches and Tien Hai district attended.

According to the People's Committee of Thai Binh province, the province currently has 707 registered fishing vessels, of which 166 are offshore fishing vessels. The output of exploited aquatic products in 2023 will reach 101,395 tons; the production value of the aquatic products industry in 2023 will reach more than 1,543 billion VND, accounting for nearly 7% of the total production value of the agricultural sector and is identified as a key economic sector of the province.

At the ceremony, the Vice Chairman of the Thai Binh Provincial People's Committee affirmed that in recent times, effective exploitation of aquatic resources at sea has improved the material and spiritual life of fishermen in coastal areas, contributing to the socio-economic development of the locality. Currently, the government, people and fishermen of Thai Binh are making great efforts and have achieved some positive results in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the province, striving together with the whole country to remove the "Yellow Card" warning of the European Commission (EC) on Vietnam's aquatic resources exploitation.

According to Mr. Pham Van Nghiem, the failure to remove the EC's "Yellow Card" warning on Vietnam's seafood exploitation has caused great difficulties for the lives of fishermen, so there needs to be sharing from the whole community and the participation of the entire political system from the province to the locality.

In recent times, Thai Binh province has drastically and synchronously implemented solutions and tasks to combat IUU fishing in the province and affirmed that the cooperation and companionship of fishermen, ship owners and captains in complying with the law when participating in fishing plays a very important role in achieving high results in combating IUU fishing.

The leader of Thai Binh Provincial People's Committee expressed his gratitude to Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper for organizing the Program in Thai Binh province to help fishermen of Thai Binh province overcome difficulties at present.

Hope to join hands and raise awareness among fishermen to soon remove the EC yellow card

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper Dinh Duc Tho said that Thai Binh is a locality with a very favorable geo-economic position, with many potentials and advantages for socio-economic development, especially in the marine economy. It is known that in recent times, Thai Binh province has drastically implemented solutions to overcome shortcomings and limitations in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Up to now, Thai Binh province has established a Steering Committee against IUU fishing at all three levels (provincial, district, commune and town levels) and issued the Steering Committee's operating regulations. The provincial IUU Steering Committee has organized two inspections in localities to promptly rectify and request the correction of existing shortcomings and limitations in combating IUU fishing in the province.

Through monitoring, Thai Binh province organized 715/715 fishing vessel owners to sign a commitment not to violate IUU fishing, especially not to send fishing vessels to illegally exploit in foreign waters, all operating fishing vessels are registered and updated in the national data software VNFishbase.

Thai Binh province has also been drastically and strongly implementing Resolution 36, dated October 22, 2018 of the 12th Party Central Committee on the Strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam's marine economy to 2030, with a vision to 2045.

The province always strives to diversify the content and forms of communication of policies on seas and islands, the Strategy for sustainable development of Vietnam's marine economy; at the same time, it pays great attention to implementing education work, raising awareness, knowledge, understanding of the sea, ocean, survival skills, and adaptation to climate change to the public.

Thai Binh provincial authorities also often organize activities to support fishermen, especially households facing difficulties and lacking conditions to go offshore and stick to the sea.

Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper, through the program "Lighting up the sea with fishermen", hopes to join hands with the central government and Thai Binh provincial government to promote communication programs to raise awareness among fishermen about combating illegal fishing, quickly removing the EC's yellow card; at the same time, bringing timely and meaningful gifts, affection, and encouragement to help fishermen enjoy the joy of going to sea.