In order to remove the “yellow card” of the European Commission (E.C.), over the past time, Tra Vinh border guards have implemented various measures such as enhancing patrols, promoting information dissemination, and encouraging fishermen to observe the provisions of law for the benefit of people and the safety of the sea.
Creating "steel nets" at sea
Tra Vinh has a coastline of 65km with two fishing ports of Dinh An and Lang Chim, creating favorable conditions for strong development in fisheries sector. Currently, the whole province has 880 vessels registered to conduct fishing activities at sea, of which 275 fishing vessels (maximum length of 15m or more) are required to install the vessel monitoring system (VMS) equipment.
    |
 |
|
Troops of Long Vinh Border Station encourage fishermen to strictly follow regulations while conducting fishing activities. |
Defining the prevention of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing as an urgent and important political task, over the past time, the Tra Vinh provincial Border Guard Command has strengthened patrols and tightened control over fishing activities at sea and fishing ports. Also, the command has boosted popularization work to encourage fishermen to strictly comply with laws and regulations while fishing at sea, especially not infringing on foreign waters.
Managing 4 communes and townlets in Duyen Hai district, Long Vinh border station has attached importance to promoting law dissemination and education among fishermen to raise their awareness of the observance of the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws, especially the Law on Fisheries, and legal documents related to IUU.
According to Major Nguyen Da Loc, Head of Truong Long Hoa Border Station, in order to prevent fishermen from violating IUU fishing regulations, the unit has coordinated with local authorities and functional agencies to monitor and supervise all high-risk cases of IUU violations.
Thanks to creating a safe “steel net” at sea, over the past time, there have been no trawlers violating foreign waters or IUU fishing in Tra Vinh province.
No violation occurs
To fight against IUU fishing, the Tra Vinh provincial Border Guard Command has directed agencies and units to strictly monitor and supervise, ensuring that 100% fishing boats maintain connection with VMS from leaving to arriving at the ports.
|
|
 |
|
Tra Vinh border guards carrying patrols to protect security and order in the coastal area |
Senior Colonel Nguyen Duc Minh, Commanding Officer of the Tra Vinh provincial Border Guard Command, shared that border units in the province have pro-actively collaborated with relevant forces to strictly oversee trawlers via VMS device placed on fishing vessels. If the devices are broken, the trawlers must use other communication devices to report to the fishing vessel monitoring center at the central level or in 28 coastal provinces and cities every 6 hours. After 10 days, the trawlers must come back to the port for repair. If they exceed the prescribed time, the units will coordinate with functional agencies to impose penalties according to regulations.
According to Deputy Director of the Tra Vinh provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Van Dung, over the past time, functional agencies have worked with border stations to conduct patrols and handle cases of administrative violations in the fisheries sector at fishing ports and at sea.
With great efforts and responsibilities of the functional forces, together with self-awareness of fishermen, Tra Vinh province has not recorded any cases of IUU violations. This is an encouraging signal motivating the province to join hands with the whole country in lifting E.C.’s “yellow card.”
Source: baobienphong
Translated by Quynh Oanh