HCMC – Vietnam is intensifying the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices just ahead of the fourth Vietnam visit by European Commission (EC) inspectors.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang has signed a decision providing guidelines for combatting IUU fishing, thereby laying the foundation for the EC to remove its yellow card imposed on Vietnam’s fisheries, the Government news site (baochinhphu.vn) reported.

Local authorities will have to ensure all fishermen register for fishing licenses and install the vessel monitoring system by May.

They were also tasked with handling all cases of Vietnamese fishermen being arrested for violating overseas fishing laws and preventing fishing vessels from operating illegally in foreign waters.

Authorities were urged to develop policies enabling debt extension for legitimate fishing vessel owners facing financial hardships, run vocational training courses and propagate domestic and foreign fishing laws to fishermen.

In October 2017, the EC issued the yellow card due to Vietnam’s inadequate action to fight IUU fishing.

Vietnam’s seafood exports to the European Union have plunged significantly since the European Commission issued the yellow card.