VASEP offers solutions to overcome IUU fishing

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) will further help Việt Nam overcome the European Commission’s illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) yellow card on Vietnamese fisheries.

For this purpose, it has asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Directorate of Fisheries (DoF) to review the implementation of their tasks and activities

VASEP wanted to collaborate with DoF to organise a conference to assess the shortcomings and difficulties faced by sector, suggesting some immediate measures to overcome the IUU yellow card in February and March this year.

VASEP also proposed that the VASEP IUU Steering Committee join the MARD’s working visits to the European Union (EU) and South Korea, and share information and coordinate the handling of the catch certification (c/c) requirements of IUU and EU.

The association will actively coordinate with the DoF in the translation and revision work of the language (English) of the reports or legal documents to conduct relevant works during the “yellow card” period.

The seafood enterprises in VASEP’s Commitment Against IUU Fishing Programme have simultaneously hung the commitment to combat IUU fishing (at the gate of the plant), saying they will not purchase, process or export with raw materials originating from IUU fishing. 

To follow up on this effect, VASEP has proposed that MARD issue a written directive to the provinces, cities and DoF for propaganda and communication against IUU exploitation.

On October 23 last year, the EC decided to issue a yellow card warning against Vietnamese seafood, on the grounds that Việt Nam was not doing enough to combat IUU fishing.

According to the roadmap, Việt Nam will have six months to implement solutions to overcome the problem, according to the recommendations of the EU.

The EU will evaluate in April 2018 the implementation of policies by Việt Nam to overcome IUU fishing. — VNS