Assisting fishermen when operating offshore represents an important, urgent and regular task of all levels, branches, forces and the whole political system, first of all, the forces directly on duty at sea. This is also a central content, which the Border Guard Command of Binh Thuan focuses on leading and directing, with many synchronous and appropriate solutions, contributing to firmly protecting the sovereignty of the sea and sacred islands of the Fatherland.

Binh Thuan is the southernmost coastal province of Central Vietnam, located in the southern key economic region. It has a sea and island area of over 52,000 km2, a coastline of 192 km long. This is one of the three key fishing grounds of the country with many coastal islands, such as: Lao Cau, Hon Rom, Hon Ba; Phu Quy island district located 56 nautical miles from Phan Thiet to the Southeast. In the province, there are many ports, estuaries, coves and bays which are convenient for maritime transportation, tourism and marine economic development.

Because of its rich seafood resources, a large number of boats come to exploit. However, recently, seafood production in many sea areas is declining; for economic benefits, a number of fishermen, regardless of the law, deliberately go fishing in foreign waters. Fully aware of the situation, the Provincial Border Guard Command has actively propagated to over 2,460 turns of captains and vehicle owners about new legal documents, regulations on safety and sovereignty and sovereign rights over seas and islands; distributed 45,500 leaflets; made 08 reportages, written 24 news and articles on central and local press agencies; actively coordinated with the Naval Region 4 Command, the provinces of Ninh Thuan, Ba Ria - Vung Tau and the 18th Naval Fleet in protecting the sovereignty of the waters and contiguous areas; coordinated with Binh Thuan Port Authority, Coast Guard Region 3, the Aquatic Resources Surveillance Sub-department in patrolling, controlling and supervising the border and protecting fishermen operating at sea; detected, prevented, and chased away dozens of foreign ships infringing upon and violating the country’s maritime sovereignty. At the same time, it has also coordinated with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to help fishermen access preferential loans for building new boats according to Decree No. 67/ND-CP and Decision No. 48/QD-TTg of the Government on a number of policies to encourage and support fishermen fishing and operating in offshore waters.

In order to strictly control the boats fishing offshore, the Provincial Border Guard coordinated with functional agencies to persuade vehicle owners to install cruise tracking equipment for 1,854 vehicles (accounting for 96.36%), in order to monitor, promptly detect and call for dozens of turns of vehicles operating beyond the boundary line to return to Vietnam's waters, not to violate foreign waters. In addition, the Provincial Border Guard has also coordinated with the Provincial Military Command, the People's Committee of Phan Thiet city and the People's Committee of La Gi town to review and encourage 30 380-CV boat owners to voluntarily register for participating in the fight to protect the sovereignty of sea and islands according to Decrees 30 and 130 of the Government;  coordinated with functional branches in search and rescue work; received and provided medical care for distressed fishermen at sea; received and taken care of the health of foreign citizens in distress at sea; brought fishermen in distress at sea back to their families in Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh safely.

Helping fishermen after fishing

In order to further promote the role of the "Working Army", and act as a fulcrum for fishermen to stay and operate offshore, in the coming time, the Provincial Border Guard will continue to perform well a number of tasks and solutions.

Firstly, promoting propaganda and education for fishermen about the guidelines and policies of the Party and State, legal documents on fishing. In the coming time, the situation at sea is forecasted to remain complicated, sensitive and unpredictable. Promoting the achieved results, the Provincial Border Guard Command continues to direct the promotion of propaganda and guide fishermen to strictly observe the guidelines of the Party, policies and laws of the State, and local regulations on fishing, marine environment protection and participation in socio-economic development. Propaganda should be associated with mobilising fishermen to participate in protecting the sovereignty of sea and islands in association with the good implementation of Directive No. 01/CT-TTg, dated January 9, 2015 of the Prime Minister. Border guard posts coordinate with local departments, agencies and mass organisations to promote propaganda of legal documents on the sovereignty of sea and islands of the Fatherland, such as: Law on Vietnam Border Guard, Law on the Sea of Vietnam, Law on National Borders, Decree No. 71/2015/ND-CP, dated September 3, 2015 of the Government on management of activities of people and vehicles in the maritime border area of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Directive No. 30 of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee on urgent tasks and solutions to strengthen the management, prevent and stop the situation of fishing boats and fishermen in the province illegally exploiting seafood in foreign waters, and legal documents on fishing, marine environmental protection, security and safety of oil and gas works at sea, etc. Work closely with functional forces, such as: Police, Military, Customs, Coast Guard, to actively participate in programmes of economic, cultural, social development and hunger eradication, poverty reduction, building strong political bases; at the same time, making fishermen operating at sea fully aware of their positions, roles and responsibilities in participating in the protection of the country's sovereignty over sea and islands.

Second, strengthening border patrol, control and supervision at border gates, seaports and checkpoints. Thoroughly and clearly defining their assigned responsibilities and tasks, and deeply aware that the presence of fishermen in Vietnam's waters is a living milestone affirming the country’s sovereignty, the Provincial Border Guard will actively coordinate with local departments, agencies and mass organisations to support fishermen operating and staying at sea; direct border guard posts to combine propaganda with strengthening border patrol, control and supervision; strictly manage the entry and exit of people and vehicles at maritime border areas; actively prepare forces and means, closely coordinate with relevant sectors and forces to respond to incidents of natural disaster prevention and control, search and rescue; support and create favourable conditions for fishermen to fish on traditional fishing grounds so as to both promote marine economic development and contribute to protecting the country's sovereignty and sovereign rights on seas and islands of the Fatherland.

Third, closely coordinating with Party committees, authorities, departments, branches and local mass organisations to create synergy for helping fishermen operating at sea. Coordinate and advise the Provincial People's Committee to approve the support for 1,452 fishing vessels according to Decision No. 48/2010/QD-TTg; support 369 fishing vessels according to Decree No. 67/2014/ND-CP. During sea operations, newly built vehicles operate under Decree No. 67 and Decision No. 48 on combining fishing with mutual assistance in disaster prevention and control, search and rescue. Vehicles operating at high seas should combine fishing with grasping and providing information and images about activities of foreign ships infringing on our waters for functional forces to chase and arrest.

Staying and operating offshore are not only a way for fishermen to earn a living but also to contribute to affirming and protecting the sovereignty of the sea and islands. Therefore, no matter how difficult it is, Binh Thuan Border Guard officers and soldiers will always strive to accompany and create the most favourable conditions for them to fish safely on traditional fishing grounds, contributing to the defence of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Fatherland.

Senior Colonel Chu Van Tan, Commander of the Provincial Border Guard Command