    |
 |
|
Rear Admiral Ngo Van Thuan speaks at the event. |
Speaking at the event, Rear Admiral Ngo Van Thuan promised that naval force would continue to support fishermen to fish at sea and expected that fishermen would keep heading to the sea to fish to improve their living standards and serve as “soldiers” to firmly safeguard national sovereignty over sea and islands.
At the ceremony, Naval Region 4’s Political Commissar handed over 200 life jackets and national flags, 300 leaflets with contents of the Law on Vietnam Sea in 2012 and the Prime Minister’s directive on urgent missions and measures to remove European Council’s “yellow card” for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing to fishermen.
Under the auspices from agencies and units, the Naval Region 4 Command presented 20 bicycles to students whose parents are needy fishermen and provided free health examination and consultation and medicines for locals.
|
|
 |
|
Fishermen receiving gifts |
Within the program, the Naval Region 4 Command will cooperate with departments, agencies, and local sectors to conduct activities to facilitate fishermen’s legal and safe fishing at sea. In particular, forces in the naval region will foster dissemination of agreements on maritime delimitation between Vietnam and other countries in the region and Vietnam’s legal documents on sea and safe and sustainable fishing in combination with environmental protection and prevention of illegal fishing; provide food, energy, and water for fishermen in difficult situations while fishing at sea; conduct search and rescue; assist fishermen in fixing trawlers’ problems; mobilize fishermen to join naval troops and other forces’ efforts in protecting sovereignty over sea and islands and continental shelf of the nation.
Rear Admiral Ngo Van Thuan added that the naval region will hold an activity to adopt fishermen’s children to share their difficulties and consolidate military-civilian solidarity.
|
|
 |
|
Local students receiving bicycles |
The “Vietnamese Navy supports fishermen to fish at sea” program was launched by the Naval Region 4 Command in 2019. Over the past five years, the program has reached five provinces of Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, and Binh Thuan. Through dissemination activities and practical deeds, the program has helped fishermen feel secure to fish and contributed to building whole people’s defense disposition and people's warfare posture at sea, thus firmly safeguarding national sovereignty over sea, islands, and continental shelf.
|
|
 |
|
Locals having their health checked |
In recent three years, forces of Naval Region 4 have rescued 18,375 troubled fishermen at sea; repaired 152 trawlers; provided 132 tons of food and 725,7cb.m of clean water for fishermen; given free health examination, emergency aid, treatment, and medicines to 931 fishermen; handed over 822 gifts to the needy; presented 900 life jackets, 450 lifebuoys, and 6,000 national flags to those fishing at sea.
Translated by Chung Anh