Quang Tri orders fleet checks to curb illegal fishing
The Vietnamese province says 80 fishing vessels remain ineligible to operate as authorities tighten licensing, monitoring and catch traceability checks.
Authorities in Vietnam’s Quang Tri province have ordered a fleet-wide review and stronger local enforcement against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The measures form part of efforts to address deficiencies and help secure the removal of the European Commission’s “yellow card” against Vietnamese seafood exports.
The provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment counted 4,621 fishing vessels of at least 6 metres in length. It said 4,582, or 99.2 per cent, had fishing licences, but 80 vessels remained ineligible to operate and 279 had not signed food safety commitments.
Commune authorities have been given the main enforcement responsibility. They must ensure food safety commitments are completed for vessels below 15 metres and help owners of boats measuring at least 6 metres install and activate electronic Catch Documentation and Traceability System (eCDT) accounts. Officials must also check documents, flag upcoming renewals and prevent ineligible boats from leaving shore.
Border guards are increasing inspections at ports and estuaries and carrying out patrols at sea. Police are speeding up investigations into suspected offences, while fishing ports are strengthening checks on catch volumes and traceability. Fishermen have been urged to keep vessel monitoring connections uninterrupted, including during the rainy and storm season.
The department is also considering assistance to decommission damaged, non-operational boats and help fishermen move into other work. It said Quang Tri had reported no instances of foreign authorities detaining and penalising its vessels for illegal fishing in foreign waters.
