Port state measures: Australia and Vietnam compare notes on ways to stop illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
Vietnam is strengthening its port controls to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing with support from the Australian Government.
Three Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) officers travelled to the port city of Da Nang in mid-February to deliver and lead a workshop with their Vietnamese counterparts to develop procedures for inspecting foreign fishing vessels and controlling access to their ports.
The AFMA workshop was funded under the Australian Government’s ongoing Combating IUU Fishing and Promoting Sustainable Fisheries in Southeast Asia Program, managed by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) will draw on AFMA’s advice as it works to strengthen procedures in line with the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate IUU Fishing, also known as the Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA).
The goal of the PSMA is for nations to present a united front against IUU fishing, through strong port controls that cut illegal fishing vessels off from port services and opportunities to land catch.
The AFMA workshop was attended by 37 officials from a diverse group of agencies involved in PSMA implementation, fostering interagency collaboration and strengthening national capacity.
Participants provided positive feedback, demonstrating the workshop's effectiveness and reinforcing the strong partnership between AFMA and MARD in the fight against IUU fishing.
AFMA’s General Manager of Fisheries Operations, Justin Bathurst, said the two nations had a strong history of cooperation in the fight against IUU fishing in the region.
“AFMA welcomes this operational collaboration with Vietnam as it strengthens regional cooperation essential for fisheries compliance and also assists Australia in its continual refinement and enhancement of operational practices,” Mr Bathurst said.
“This workshop shows Australia’s commitment to actively combating IUU fishing and contributing to sustainable fisheries management, which is vital for the livelihoods of people across Southeast Asia.”
Monica Finlayson, Australia’s Agriculture Counsellor to Vietnam, told participants the Australian Government was committed to working with Southeast Asian nations to promote responsible fisheries and combat IUU fishing.
“Through our collaboration under the Australian Government program and through its own agenda, I’d like to thank Vietnam for its continued efforts to address regional IUU fishing and for your ongoing support for our regional IUU fishing program,” Ms Finlayson said.
“We are pleased to work alongside Vietnam and our cooperation to combat regional IUU [fishing] has strengthened.”