Scene of the meeting reporting on difficulties in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Photo: THUY LIEU

The total number of fishing vessels in Soc Trang province is 803, of which 341 fishing vessels with the longest length of 15m or more have been fully updated in the national fisheries database Vnfishbase. 136/136 fishing vessels have been granted 3-no fishing vessel certificates (registration, inspection, and fishing license) (100%) and fully updated in the national fisheries database Vnfishbase. Also through the review, there are 63 damaged and rotten fishing vessels anchored at the port that are no longer able to operate. Fishing licenses have been extended for 628/803 fishing vessels, reaching 78.2%, the remaining 175 fishing vessels have not been licensed, accounting for 21.8% (of which 14 are vessels from 15m or more, 81 are vessels from 15 - 12m, and 80 are vessels under 12m).

Vessels with the longest length of 12m or more have had their registrations renewed for 326/475, reaching 68.6%, while 149/475 have not had their registrations renewed, accounting for 31.4% (of which 50 are vessels with a length of 15m or more, and 99 are vessels under 15m). The reason why the fishing licenses and registrations have not been renewed is because these fishing vessels have not been operating effectively, have stopped operating and have been on shore for a long time, and many fishing vessel owners have been away for many years without returning to their hometowns.

Delegates provided more information on the number of fishing vessels in each locality for exploitation at sea; the work of inspecting and controlling fishing vessels at sea from the positioning system of each vessel; the management of fishing vessels that no longer have time for inspection will not be allowed to go to sea for exploitation; there is a clear announcement of the records of fishing vessels in Soc Trang that have been sold to other localities for convenient vessel management; timely detection of fishing vessels that have lost connection at sea. Delegates also gave opinions on the import and export activities of fishing vessels in the registration and inspection of vessels; the work of checking and recording fishing logs of fishing vessels in accordance with the fish output when entering the port; difficulties in controlling fishing vessels purchasing fish exploited at sea; the work of coordinating the inspection of fishing vessels exploiting at sea...

Concluding the meeting, Mr. Vuong Quoc Nam emphasized that Soc Trang will join hands with the whole country to remove the European Commission's Yellow Card warning. Currently, the province has no fishing vessels illegally exploiting foreign waters. In the coming time, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested that relevant departments and branches of the province, according to their functions and tasks, effectively carry out the work of combating IUU fishing, requesting the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment to strengthen propaganda work in many forms to fishing vessel owners about IUU fishing; coordinate with relevant units to resolutely carry out the work of extending fishing licenses and inspection licenses for fishing vessels; strictly handle violations of fishing vessels if they violate the law. The Provincial Border Guard organizes patrols and monitors fishing vessels operating at sea. The People's Committees of communes closely monitor the number of fishing vessels operating at sea in the locality.

THUY LIEU