To issue policies to support livelihoods for fishermen who volunteer not to participate in fishing activities in Vietnam

To issue policies to support livelihoods for fishermen who volunteer not to participate in fishing activities in Vietnam (Internet image)

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

On November 4, 2023, the Prime Minister issued Official Telegram 1058/CD-TTg on focusing on implementing urgent tasks and solutions, focusing on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated seafood exploitation, and removing the "Yellow Card" warning of the European Commission.

To issue policies to support livelihoods for fishermen who volunteer not to participate in fishing activities in Vietnam

Specifically, the Prime Minister requested relevant ministries and People's Committees of coastal provinces and centrally run cities to unify the above awareness and viewpoints in the leadership and direction of affiliated agencies, units, and functional forces; uphold the responsibility of leaders; focus on directing the implementation of urgent tasks and solutions; focus on combating IUU exploitation; resolve to remove the EC's "Yellow Card" warning at the 5th inspection (expected by the end of the second quarter of 2024); as follows:

- Regarding the legal framework, mechanisms, and policies

+ Based on the EC's recommendations at the 4th inspection on controlling exploited aquatic materials imported by container ships and sanctioning detected acts of exceeding the allowed boundary at sea through the fishing vessel monitoring system, review, research, amend, and supplement relevant legal regulations to ensure consistency and synchronization with the legal system and conditions of our country.

+ Promulgate mechanisms and policies to convert and support livelihoods for fishermen who voluntarily do not participate in fishing activities or fishing vessels that no longer meet the prescribed conditions.

- Regarding law enforcement and handling of violations

+ Implement strong measures to prevent fishing vessels from illegally exploiting seafood in foreign waters; investigate and sanction 100% of violations.

+ Verify and sanction 100% of cases of violation of regulations on loss of VMS connection according to regulations, exceeding allowed boundaries at sea, fishing vessels not transferring names, or changing owners according to regulations.

+ Investigate and thoroughly handle cases of fishing vessels sending VMS devices to other fishing vessels or fishing vessels assisting and transporting VMS devices to other fishing vessels.

+ Actively grasp information about fishing vessels seized by foreign countries and collect relevant evidence and documents in other countries to provide to domestic authorities to investigate and thoroughly handle violations.

+ Urgently consolidate, prosecute, and adjudicate acts of brokering and connecting fishing vessels and fishermen to illegally exploit foreign waters.

- Regarding confirmation, certification, and traceability of exploited aquatic products

+ 100% of fishing vessels with a length of 15 meters or more loading and unloading aquatic products exploited at fishing ports (including private fishing ports, fishing wharves...) must be monitored and traced (ensure the exploitation logbook, VMS data, output, and species composition are suitable for the fishing industry; pay special attention to cases of transshipment at sea, output for yellowfin tuna, bigeye, swordfish, etc., as they need to be closely monitored and controlled).

+ Strictly comply with regulations on confirmation and certification of domestically exploited aquatic products; strictly prohibit and strictly handle cases of legalizing documents (if there are enough grounds for criminal prosecution); Special focus on yellowfin tuna, bigeye, and swordfish.

+ General review of enterprises exporting seafood to the European market to ensure complete and legal records and strictly handle violations (if there are enough grounds for criminal prosecution); Special focus on shipments of yellowfin tuna, bigeye, and swordfish.

+ Complete and put into use the electronic traceability system to monitor and control transparency and legality according to regulations on the confirmation and certification of the origin of domestically exploited aquatic products.

+ Control according to regulations, the import shipments of exploited aquatic products for swordfish and longfin pectoral tuna by container ships.

More details can be found in Official Telegram 1058/CD-TTg, dated November 4, 2023.

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