The Vietnam Fisheries Resource Surveillance Department is tasked with patrolling, checking, controlling, inspecting fisheries and handling violations of fishery law in Vietnam’s seas; participating in search and rescue and relief; protecting fishing grounds, fishermen and developing marine economy and protecting the country’s sacred sovereignty over seas and islands. To fulfill its functions and tasks that are assigned by the Party, State and people, the Department has always made full preparation in forces and vehicles to accompany offshore with fishermen.

Ship of the Vietnam Fisheries Resource Surveillance force preparing for search and rescue task (Photo: qdnd.vn)

To meet the requirements and tasks, the Department has both developed its force and accomplished  its tasks. Regarding force building, it has been proactive in selecting and employing staff and laborers with priorities given to people coming from coastal provinces, particularly children of fishermen who are trained in marine field. Meanwhile, it also pays attention to appointing cadres for its affiliated offices; repairing, improving, purchasing and building new boats, ships, vehicles meeting mission requirements. At present, the Department has acquired all kinds of ships, including high speed, heavy displacement, modern and multi-functioned ones which can operate long time on sea and survive heavy storms, etc. Besides, the Department attaches importance to political and ideological education for its cadres, staff and laborers, focusing on the Central Resolution 8 (XI tenure) on Strategy to safeguard the Homeland  in the new situation, the Central Resolution 4 (X tenure) on Vietnam Sea Strategy until 2020 and the 1982 UNCLOS, etc in order to make its cadres politically steadfast, absolutely believe in the Party’s guidelines and the policies and laws of the State. Thereby, its cadres and staff are highly responsible, ready to take and fulfill their tasks in any circumstances, contributing to maintaining security and order, supporting fishermen, protecting fish farms and the country’s seas and islands.

Under this circumstance, the department has been proactive in equipping basic knowledge for people, particularly those are cadres of coastal locality and fishermen. Since 2014, the Department has coordinated closely with ministries, central branches and localities to open tens of training courses on the Law of the Sea of Vietnam 2012, the Decree 103/NĐ-TTg and the Decree 167/NĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister on administrative punishment relating to  fishery operations and minimizing violations of fishermen in foreign seas; some regulations of some countries which have sea border with us, namely: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, etc for managerial cadres of localities, ship owners, laborers and leaders of syndicates.

During its task performance, the Fisheries Resource Surveillance Force has  closely coordinated with other forces, namely Vietnam Coast Guard, the Navy, the Border Guard and local inspectorates to carry out its tasks in the authorized sea zone. Especially, after the sea environmental disaster in the four central provinces from Ha Tinh to Thua Thien – Hue, the Department has advised the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to coordinate with functional agencies of the four provinces to patrol, check, control and supervise fishing activities. The force also actively and proactively guide, support fishermen in their exploitation in accordance with warnings of functional agencies. On this ground, the Department warrants the safety of products of the central fishermen, thereby encouraging fishermen to continue their production and consolidating the “people’s heart and mind posture” on sea.

During its task performance, the force has always grasped situation on sea. Besides the permanent force on sea, it also founds a duty one which receives information and informs fishermen the situation so that they can have opportune response. Through the Movimar GPS and the information stations of 28 coastal provinces, the force always grasp the route of fishing boats, particularly those operating in high seas and give out timely warning so that they don’t intrude into foreign seas.

Though being warned, illegal fishing in foreign seas of Vietnamese fishermen is on the rise making the security situation  more complex. Facing the matter, to ensure the safety of fishermen, safeguarding sea sovereignty and the good relationship with other countries in the region, the Department has proactively advised the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Directorate of Fisheries on closely coordinating with functional bodies, branches and sectors from central to local levels to hold discussion, negotiation with such countries, namely China,  Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, etc to maintain security, order on sea and agree on concrete and suitable measures to minimize the number of foreign fishing boats intruding into Vietnamese seas and Vietnamese fishermen intruding into foreign seas.

In the coming time, to protect fishermen, fish farm and the country’s seas and islands, the Fisheries Resource Surveillance Force will closely coordinate with functional bodies to strengthen propagation on the following contents: (1) the Law of the Sea of Vietnam, international sea law and regulations of countries with neighboring seas; (2) thoroughly checking communication system, positioning device, compass, sea map and specialized marine equipment; (3) obeying the checking and controlling of functional forces (Coast Guard, Border Guard) of the fishermen list, equipment for communication, search and rescue and other related documents; (4) when discovering that the ship owner or captain of the ship prepare to fish in foreign seas, immediately inform functional forces; (5) in case of being captured, fishermen should follow all the instructions and requirements on extradition and inform Vietnamese functional agencies for diplomatic measures.

To make fishermen secure in their offshore fishing to create an all people defense posture on sea, the Fisheries Resource Surveillance Force is striving to be comprehensively mature, meeting the requirements of the assigned mission, being a safe place to depend on for fishermen on seas.

Tran Xuan Thanh

Deputy Director of the Vietnam Fisheries Resource Surveillance Department