Vietnam tackles illegal operations
200 fishing boats were grounded because of IUU, company's license suspended. New minister of marine affairs and fisheries - Susi Pudjastuti - taking more hardline approach to fisheries law enforcement, Indonesia.
From NETANI RIKA, Da Nang, Vietnam
IN a bid to join the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, Vietnam has cleaned up its act around illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Pacific nations have recorded a serious downtown in illegal Vietnamese blue boats since 2017.
The versatile, economic vessels regularly raided Palau, Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia waters for beche de mer and other delicacies.
Vietnam's Fisheries Director General, Transport Dinh Luen, said his country had made a commitment to reduce IUU and boost sustainable fishing.
Bubba Cook of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said Vietnam was a success story in the eradication of illegal fishing.
"It seems Vietnam and Pacific Island governments got together and said we need to deal with thus," Cook said.
PNG earlier reported that the blue boats were a threat to its national security and New Caledonian authorities seized three Vietnamese vessels in 2017.
Indonesia has taken a particularly strong stance on the blue boats, burning more than 50 vessels.
Illegal fishing - of which the blue boats are part - is worth an estimated $USD616 million annually.
IN a bid to join the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, Vietnam has cleaned up its act around illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Pacific nations have recorded a serious downtown in illegal Vietnamese blue boats since 2017.
The versatile, economic vessels regularly raided Palau, Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia waters for beche de mer and other delicacies.
Vietnam's Fisheries Director General, Transport Dinh Luen, said his country had made a commitment to reduce IUU and boost sustainable fishing.
Bubba Cook of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said Vietnam was a success story in the eradication of illegal fishing.
"It seems Vietnam and Pacific Island governments got together and said we need to deal with thus," Cook said.
PNG earlier reported that the blue boats were a threat to its national security and New Caledonian authorities seized three Vietnamese vessels in 2017.
Indonesia has taken a particularly strong stance on the blue boats, burning more than 50 vessels.
Illegal fishing - of which the blue boats are part - is worth an estimated $USD616 million annually.
200 fishing boats were grounded because of IUU, company's license suspended. New minister of marine affairs and fisheries - Susi Pudjastuti - taking more hardline approach to fisheries law enforcement, Indonesia.
