The decree stipulates administrative violations, subjects of penalties, forms and levels of punishment, remedial measures for violations, and the authority to issue violation reports, impose penalties, and enforce corrective measures in the fisheries sector. It is intended to strengthen state management of fisheries, and combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, said Deputy PM Dung.
During its fifth inspection in March this year, the European Commission recommended that Vietnam finalize the decree as soon as possible and increase penalties to strengthen deterrence and improve state management.
Addressing the issue of using foreign documents as a basis for penalties, Deputy PM Chau said: “We need to strictly uphold the principles of sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction. Foreign rulings should only serve as reference information. They cannot replace evidence, investigations, or the verification and handling process carried out by competent domestic authorities.”
In his concluding remarks, Deputy PM Dung called on the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to urgently finalize the draft decree on administrative sanctions in the fisheries sector in line with recommendations made by the EC inspection team.
