(VOVWORLD) - At the end of this month a European Commission inspection team will conduct its 5th inspection in Quang Ngai province on compliance with regulations against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
 Quang Ngai province's Border Guard increases inspection of fishing ships at sea. (Photo: VOV) |
This is an opportunity for Vietnam to have the EU to remove the "yellow card" on its fisheries exploitation.
Coastal localities in Quang Ngai province have stepped up communications and oversight to prepare for the inspection and ensure that no fishing boats are violating IUU regulations.
Ho Trong Phuong, Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said, “Quang Ngai has strengthened communications, management of fishing boats with the help of monitoring devices, and punishment of fishing crews who intentionally violate regulations.”
Quang Ngai has also coordinated with neighboring provinces to manage vessels that haven’t installed any monitoring equipment or have not complied with IUU regulations. “Hopefully, during the coming inspection, Quang Ngai and other localities will be successful in getting the yellow card against Vietnam's fishing industry removed," said Phuong.
Fishing vessel owners and fishermen have been asked to carefully check the equipment required by regulations before leaving port and to strictly comply with the rules on communicating with the shore while at sea.
Fishing vessels must be equipped with navigation and cruise monitoring devices as required by IUU regulations.
Quang Ngai province has 4,300 fishing vessels in the national fisheries database.