Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong shakes hands with European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella. (Photo: VNA) Brussels (VNA) – Minister of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentNguyen Xuan Cuong highlighted Vietnam’s determination to fight illegal,unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and build a sustainable aquacultureduring his recent talks with European Commissioner for Environment,Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella.
In an interview with correspondents from VietnamNews Agency in Brussels, the Minister said after receiving a yellow card warningfrom the EU for failing to prevent IUU fishing on October 23, 2017, Vietnam hascarried out a series of action programmes to tackle the issue.
The country has worked out measures to improve itsinstitutional system and include EU recommendations on IUU fishing into therevised Law on Fisheries, Cuong said.
After the bill was passed by the NationalAssembly in late 2017, Vietnam has employed legal regulations, decrees andguiding circulars, he added.
The country has focused on raising awareness ofthe sustainable use and management of aquaculture among people, businesses andlocal authorities.
Additionally, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuchas decided to establish a working group to inspect the implementation of IUUregulations, Cuong noted.
He said he had asked the EU Commissioner toprovide technical support and human resources training for Vietnam to promoteresponsible fishing, as the country is encountering a number of difficultiessuch as poor infrastructure and equipment, shortage of human and financialresources and limited marine natural resources.
The visit to the EU and Belgium from March 21-24is significant to help the EU understand more about Vietnam’s determination to removethe yellow card.
The EU agreed to work with Vietnam and considerproviding financial and technical assistance and human resources training inthe long run in addition to helping the Southeast Asian countryinstitutionalise legal documents in line with international practices.
Promoting effective, legal and sustainablefishing is the common goal of the aquaculture sector, not only in the EU but inall global markets.
“We need to exert more efforts to achieve thisinclusive target,” he said.
He suggested refining the newly adopted Law on Fisheriesand other relevant regulations.
He also stressed calling for the involvement ofsociety to improve infrastructure for the fishery sector and human resourcestraining; asking all economic sectors, including fishermen and businesses, tostrictly follow legal regulations on IUU fishing; and increasing internationalcooperation.-VNA
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