What are the sheltered anchorages for fishing vessels? What are the criteria for classification of sheltered anchorages for fishing vessels in Vietnam?
What are the sheltered anchorages for fishing vessels in Vietnam?
Pursuant to Article 3 of Decree 26/2019/ND-CP supplemented by Clause 1 of Article 1 of Decree 37/2024/ND-CP, sheltered anchorages for fishing vessels are specialized areas designated for fishing vessels to anchor and seek shelter from storms. These areas include the infrastructure of storm shelters, supporting services, anchorage areas, entrances to the sheltered areas, and administrative zones.
The infrastructure of the storm shelter includes dikes, wave barriers, and sediment prevention structures; water channels; vessel anchorage facilities (such as mooring posts, buoys, chains, and turtle-shaped anchors); buoy and signaling systems; lighting systems; and communication systems.
The supporting services in the sheltered anchorage areas include minimum essential services (such as freshwater, food, communication, healthcare, supplies, minor repairs, emergency assistance, and accident resolution) to serve fishermen and fishing vessels, ensuring the fulfillment of urgent needs and accident response.
The anchorage areas refer to the water areas in front of the port bridge, where vessels are arranged to anchor, the entrances to the anchorage areas, and the water areas designated for supply and supporting services.
The entrances to the sheltered areas are the water passages connecting the operating water areas of the vessels to the anchorage areas.
The administrative zones include the infrastructure and equipment necessary for the management and operation of the sheltered anchorage areas, such as accommodation, operation, and security facilities; internal transportation systems; electricity, water, wastewater treatment, fire prevention, and firefighting systems; and equipment.
Therefore, sheltered anchorages for fishing vessels are specialized areas designated for fishing vessels to anchor and seek shelter from storms.
What are the sheltered anchorages for fishing vessels? What are the criteria for classification of sheltered anchorages for fishing vessels in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)
What are the criteria for classification of sheltered anchorages for fishing vessels in Vietnam?
Pursuant to Article 84 of the Law on Fisheries 2017, the classification of sheltered anchorages for fishing vessels is based on the following criteria
- A regional sheltering anchorage for commercial fishing vessel shall satisfy the following criteria:
+ It is near fisheries and gathers commercial fishing vessels of multiple provinces, ensure the shortest time for commercial fishing vessels to anchor and shelter from storms;
+ Natural conditions are convenient and the safety of sheltering commercial fishing vessels is ensured;
+ The minimum capacity is 1,000 commercial fishing vessels.
- A sheltering anchorage for commercial fishing vessels of a province shall satisfy the following criteria:
+ It is near traditional fisheries of multiple provinces, ensure the shortest time for commercial fishing vessels to anchor and shelter from storms;
+ Natural conditions are convenient and the safety of sheltering commercial fishing vessels is ensured;
+ The minimum capacity is 600 commercial fishing vessels.
What are the regulations on management of sheltered anchorages for fishing vessels in Vietnam?
Pursuant to Article 85 of the Law on Fisheries 2017, it regulates the management of sheltered anchorages for fishing vessels as follows:
- Sheltering anchorages shall be managed and operated by the local steering committee on natural disaster prevention and rescue (hereinafter referred to as “the steering committee”) during the time of sheltering.
- During the period in which a sheltering anchorage is not used for sheltering purpose, it shall be managed and used as follows:
+ The anchorage whose waters are adjacent to a fishing port waters shall be managed and used by the supervisory organization of this port in accordance with regulations of law;
+ The anchorage whose waters are not adjacent to a fishing port waters shall be managed and used in accordance with regulations of law by an eligible organization assigned by the People’s Committee of the province.
- Organizations assigned to manage and use sheltering anchorages shall formulate plans for repairing and maintaining construction works of the anchorages and may use the state budget for implementing these plans.
- Regarding commercial fishing vessel entering and leaving sheltering anchorages:
+ In case of natural disasters, commercial fishing vessels and other kinds of vessels may take shelter without being charged;
+ When entering the harbor, the master or the helmsman of a commercial fishing vessel shall comply with the control and instructions of the steering committee;
+ When a commercial fishing vessel is safely anchored, its master or helmsman shall notify the steering committee of the name, registration number, status of the ship, quantity of people aboard, and other requirements (if any).
+ Commercial fishing vessels shall only leave the sheltering anchorage in case of notifications or orders issued by the steering committee;
+ If natural disasters do not occur, the commercial fishing vessels anchored in a sheltering anchorage shall pay fees and other costs as prescribed by law; comply with control and instruction of the organization assigned to manage and use this sheltering anchorage.
Decree 37/2024/ND-CP comes into force from May 19, 2024.
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