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Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance forces (Photo: NNVN) |
On April 14, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development organized the 9th anniversary of the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance.
According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien, the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance was established on April 15, 2014 after China deployed its HD-981 oil rig in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
After nine years of formation and operation, the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance has contributed to maintaining security and order in territorial waters, participating into the protection of the country's sovereignty over seas and islands. The force is considered as a solid fulcrum for fishermen to go fishing at sea, protecting the sustainable development of fishery resources, making an important contribution to the overall achievement of the fisheries sector, especially the record export turnover of US$11 billion in 2022.
At the same time, the fisheries surveillance force has also effectively implemented the agreements that Vietnam has signed with countries in the region, creating a stable and peaceful region at sea.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien informed that from March of 2023, the ministry has sent an official letter to propose the People’s Committees of coastal provinces and cities to promptly establish their fisheries surveillance forces contributing to the legal implementation of aquatic exploitation and protection, including the mission of preventing illegal, unreported or unregulated fishing (IUU) and removing the European Commission's yellow card.
However, the progress is too slow. There have been nine out of 28 provinces and cities establishing local fisheries surveillance forces. Besides, the ministry also proposed to soon complete and submit to the Prime Minister the General Plan on fisheries surveillance force development in the period of 2023 – 2030, vision to 2045.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the urgent target in the upcoming time is to reduce the number of fishing boats from 91,700 to 83,600 ones by 2030 and lessen fishing output to conserve marine resources.
Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien also informed that the fishing output in 2022 was 3.72 million tons which was considered as an enormous number. It is important to reduce exploitation to reach the set targets on conservation as well as prevent IUU fishing.
