Seafood exports to the EU market dropped sharply due to IUU yellow card

DNHN - Since IUU issued a "yellow card" warning, Vietnam's seafood exports to the EU market have decreased annually. EC recommendation. The European Commission (EC) warned Vietnam on October 23, 2017, against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing

The European Commission (EC) warned Vietnam on October 23, 2017, against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing). Despite more than five years of effort, Vietnam has not yet been able to remove the IUU "yellow card" because it has not been able to address the EC's recommendations.

The IUU "yellow card" warning has had a significant impact on Vietnam's seafood exports in particular and seafood exports in general. Ms. Le Hang, Communication Director of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), provided evidence that, before being issued a "yellow card" for IUU, the EU was an import market from 2015 to 2017. Vietnam's seafood exports account for 30 to 35 percent of all seafood exports.

However, since the IUU "yellow card" warning, Vietnam's exports of seafood to this market have decreased annually. According to VASEP statistics, the proportion of seafood exports to the EU market accounted for 11.8% in 2018 - the first year after receiving a "yellow card" warning. This percentage decreased to 10.7% in 2019 and 9.5% in 2020. In five years, in 2022, the proportion will have decreased to 9.4%.

The application of the EC's IUU "yellow card" to seafood compelled exporters to seek alternative markets, such as the United States, Japan, and South Korea. In addition, there is a growing trend of processing seafood for export to other countries, particularly processing marine fish such as cod, sardines, mackerel, and pollock.

According to Ms. Le Hang, this is a way to take advantage of the processing capacity and create jobs for workers while avoiding IUU-mandated pressure on the issue of raw materials and traceability.

"Even exports to the EU now contain a substantial proportion of processed goods, but domestic raw materials are scarce and difficult to obtain a certificate of exploitation (SC) and a certificate of exploitation. CC) conforms to the IUU regulations of this market, as Ms. Le Hang explained.

Currently, not only the EU market but also the US and Japan, are implementing traceability form requirements... Ms. Le Hang stated that we must therefore strictly adhere to the regulations of international organizations. Moreover, removing the IUU "yellow card" is a crucial task.

In this regard, Mr. Phung Duc Tien - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development - stated that IUU will have a significant impact on Vietnam's seafood exports when seafood is classified as a "yellow card" Because previously, businesses exporting to the EU market required only one to three days to complete the procedure, it now takes two to four weeks. In addition, this impacts the standing of Vietnamese seafood on the international stage, the livelihoods of fishermen, and the seafood industry.

As planned, the EC's inspection team will meet with the Vietnamese side of the EC for the fourth time in October 2023 to discuss removing the "yellow card" for IUU. There is little time between now and that point. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development continues to review, inspect, and urge the localities to implement and overcome the EC's recommended deficiencies and limitations.

Similarly, it continues to press for the installation of VMS cruise monitoring equipment on all fishing vessels at sea (currently 96.6%). 100% of fishing vessels entering and exiting the wharf must be inspected and controlled to ensure the traceability of aquatic products. Urgently review the loading and unloading points for fishing vessels, ensuring that 100% of fishing vessels with a length of 15 meters or more arrive at the port by regulations.

In addition, continue to review and update the list of high-risk vessels that violate IUU and organize peak patrols and control over bordering and overlapping waters to prevent IUU violations by fishing vessels. "Recently, maritime authorities maintained 35-41 ships in the bordering area, but there were still six cases/six ships/35 fishermen violating foreign waters," said Mr. Tran Dinh Luan.

The Government Office has just issued Notice 209/TB-VPCP regarding the conclusion reached by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang at the seventh meeting of the National Steering Committee to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Consequently, to address the deficiencies and limitations, as well as to ensure adequate preparation for continuing and cooperating with the EC's inspection team in October 2023, the Deputy Prime Minister has requested that departments, ministries, branches, and localities open a peak inspection period. The Deputy Prime Minister is determined to remove the IUU "yellow card" warning by October 2023. If there are violations of IUU fishing in the area, it is imperative to conduct a thorough review of local organizations and individuals.

"As Vietnam integrates more deeply into the global economy, it has no choice but to strictly adhere to international organization regulations. This is also the spirit of the Fisheries Law of 2017, which is growth. The 13-February-issued Decision 81/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister stipulates that the yellow card must be eliminated by 2023. Mr. Phung Duc Tien emphasized that the removal of the "yellow card" for IUU is a crucial task.

Vietnam must address four important issues presented by the European Union.

To increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the fight against IUU fishing, the legal framework must continue to review and adjust several regulations.

Second, fishing vessel fleet management, tracking, inspection, and supervision. Although we have installed more than 95% of the equipment, the remaining subjects are high-risk. The number of ships that violate foreign waters has not decreased.

Third, regarding traceability, manage both imported and marine-caught products. The current access record is still coping, particularly the recording and submission of the diary, which contains numerous errors and only reaches about 45%; only 50% of the output through the port has been monitored for fishing vessels with a length of 15m or more, making it impossible to ensure the traceability of seafood.

Fourth, law enforcement and the handling of violations continue to be inconsistent, inefficient, and ineffective. In addition, the fisheries infrastructure is still inadequate, meeting only 15 to 18 percent...

PV