VASEP calls on its member enterprises to strengthen efforts to combat IUU fishing and to work alongside the Government in lifting the EC yellow card

Continuing the spirit of active partnership with the Government, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and local authorities in combating IUU fishing and addressing the EC yellow card, the Association highly appreciates the efforts, commitments, and compliance of its member seafood enterprises with all relevant legal regulations on combating IUU fishing over the past years. The Association hereby requests that enterprises continue to maintain and further strengthen efforts to combat IUU fishing in the procurement of raw materials, processing, and export of seafood to the EU and other markets with similar requirements:

1. To communicate and fully disseminate all requirements and regulations on combating IUU fishing to factory staff and workers, fishers, and all stakeholders across the company’s seafood raw material supply chain;
2. To strictly implement inspection and verification of full compliance for each batch of raw materials purchased and each batch of finished products intended for export; to refrain from purchasing, receiving, processing, or exporting any seafood raw materials that have been verified as being associated with IUU fishing violations;
3. To regularly update and closely follow directives and instructions of the Prime Minister, the IUU Steering Committee, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and relevant local authorities concerning the fight against IUU fishing, the removal of the EC yellow card, the improvement of sustainable fisheries development, and the livelihoods of coastal fishers;
4. To proactively cooperate with competent authorities in response to inspection requests, including the provision of dossiers, documents, and evidentiary images, in support of explanations to the European Commission (EC) and the clarification of related information.

The effective, full, and timely compliance actions of enterprises constitute clear evidence of their alignment and close coordination with the Government and the IUU Steering Committee, and will make an important contribution to the removal of the EC’s IUU Yellow Card, the safeguarding of the EU market, and the maintenance of the sustainable development of Viet Nam’s fisheries sector.

The original text of the Decision