Vietnam joins FAO’s Agreement on Port State Measures
The Vietnamese Government has agreed to join the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to prevent and fight illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
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The Government assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to coordinate with relevant agencies in implementing the agreement in line with current regulations.
Adopted by FAO member countries in 2009, the agreement took effect on June 5, 2016. It is assessed to be a turning point in the fight against law violations in the fisheries sector.
According to the US’s Global Policy Journal website, Vietnam may become a model for ASEAN countries in fighting IUU fishing.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc issued a national action plan to crack down on IUU fishing. As part of this drive, 62 seafood companies have joined to ensure sustainable practices.
The government has issued several decrees and directives, supplemented IUU fishing regulations to legal documents, enforced regulations, held educational workshops for fishermen, enhanced cooperation with coastal and island countries to prevent IUU fishing and organized regular dialogues with the EU on efforts to improve fisheries management.
Other measures include placing observers, many of whom are former fishing captains, aboard commercial trawlers to monitor catches.
Additionally, fishing captains have been encouraged to keep an accurate logbook or registry of catches for inspection or become subject to fines up to US$2,000 and revocation of commercial fishing licences.
