Satellite-positioning devices provided for Ninh Thuan to fight IUU fishing

The devices are installed on offshore fishing vessels to monitor their journeys and provide information on weather.

The provincial People’s Committee assigned the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to make an installation plan with the priority given to big vessels with capacity of over 600 CV, length of 20m or more, and those operating ng ships.

After the installation finishes, the department should report information about fishing vessels equipped with Movimar to the Directorate of Fisheries (DoF) for update on the nation’s general system.

Nguyen Quang Hung, deputy head of the DoF said that Movimar is one of the most modern monitoring devices. Vietnam is one of the leading countries, especially in the Pacific, in installing this device.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam said Movimar is the only device having enough criteria to meet the European Union’s recommendations on IUU fishing. He added that this will help Vietnam develop the fisheries sector sustainably.

Movimar has to date been installed on 3,000 fishing boats in Vietnam.

On October 23, 2017, the EC issued a "yellow card" warning to Vietnam, after the country failed to demonstrate sufficient progress in the fight against fishing worldwide. 

According to EC’s requirement, the Vietnamese seafood sector had to implement nine recommendations in six months from October 23, 2017, to April 23, 2018.

As the yellow card could affect the reputation and trade of Vietnamese seafood in the European and global markets, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) and businesses have made every effort to cooperate with authorised agencies and with one another to fight IUU fishing over the last six months.

A working delegation from the EC Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries is visiting Vietnam from May 16 to 23 to inspect the country’s implementation of the EC’s nine recommendations related to the fight against IUU fishing.

After the inspection, the EU will give its final decision over whether it seeks to withdraw the “yellow card” from Vietnamese offshore seafood.