Fisheries Summit renews pledge to combat illegal fishing

“The Center is a nongovernmental regional forum for consultation and cooperation in research and management of fishery resources,” said Vu Van Tam, deputy minister of MARD, in a key address at the opening.

“It’s vitally important for the Center to establish a scientific basis for combatting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing,” said Mr Tam, but they also must take the safety of fishermen and their livelihoods into account.

The opening of the five-day event running through April 8 saw more than 100 delegates from academe, the scientific community, local government and non-government organizations participating.

To combat illegal fishing effectively we need to ensure our nations’ laws are operational with proper funding, supported by technical and scientific studies, and have the capacity to build the support of enforcers, policy makers and citizens.

In closing, Mr Tam underscored the need to strengthen the network for sustainable fisheries management and stressed the need for good governance to prevent the further exploitation of Vietnamese fisheries, in particular.

“The lack of law enforcement is the primary reason for our depleted seas. We need good governance to properly manage our seas, as this is the reason behind the decline of our fisheries,” said Mr Tam.

He called on the Center to support coastal communities such as Vietnam through enforcement trainings and education campaigns, and assist in harmonizing policies among government agencies.