The People’s Committee of Dong Thap has issued an official directive instructing relevant departments, sectors, and local authorities to continue implementing robust measures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing across the Mekong Delta province.
Under the directive, the Department of Agriculture and Environment – the standing body of the provincial steering committee for IUU fishing prevention and control – is tasked with classifying fishing vessels that are ineligible for licences or whose registration has expired. The department has been asked to urgently review, guide, and carry out vessel registration and licensing procedures for those that meet requirements and wish to operate. Weekly, it must compile lists of non-compliant vessels and ensure they are barred from fishing activities.
This department has also been instructed to direct fishing ports, port inspection offices, and fisheries control units to work closely with the local border guard force in strictly enforcing regulations on port operations. This includes managing 100% of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports and monitoring 100% of seafood landings through ports. All fishing vessels of 15 metres or longer – and, in the next phase, those of six metres or more – are required to record port departures and arrivals on the electronic catch documentation and traceability system (eCDT).
Working with the border guard and police, the department will pull together all available resources to investigate, verify, and thoroughly deal with cases where vessels lose VMS (vessel monitoring system) connection, cross fishing boundaries, or enter foreign waters illegally. The directive demands strict enforcement of penalties and fines according to regulations, while making sure no more local vessels will operate illegally in foreign waters.
The provincial Military Command, Department of Public Security, and People’s Committees of communes with fishing vessels have also been assigned responsibilities in line with their respective mandates.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Dong Thap currently houses 1,507 fishing vessels with 9,590 crew members operating at sea. All 902 vessels required to install VMS have done so and are operating normally, achieving a 100% compliance rate.
To date, 6,658 vessel departures and arrivals have been recorded at fishing ports via the eCDT./.
