Farmers net tra fish in Tan Hoi commune of Vinh Long city (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The National Assembly (NA) StandingCommittee continued its eighth session in Hanoi on March 21, commenting on thedraft revised law on fisheries.
Reporting on the necessity for law amendments,Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said the 2003Law on Fisheries have shown shortcomings and yet to match the quick developmentof Vietnam’s fisheries sector.
Meanwhile, some new regulations in relevantinternational conventions such as the Agreement on Port State Measures toPrevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing alsorequest the existing law be amended.
The draft revised law consists of eight chaptersand 100 articles.
The NA’s Committee on Science, Technology andEnvironment, which conducted preliminary verification of the draft, echoed theview on the need for revisions so as to improve the effectiveness offisheries-related policies and law and ensure the sector’s modern andsustainable development.
Many members of the NA Standing Committeestressed that fisheries are not an endless natural resource and must beprotected and have a sustainable development strategy, especially amid thedegradation of fishery resources in inland water bodies and coastal areas dueto overexploitation, pollution, and climate change.
Other opinions underscored the necessity forpolicies on aquaculture and offshore fishing development associated with marinesovereignty, defence and security protection. More attention should also bepaid to science-technology application in fishery activities.
A new chapter in the draft is Chapter 6 on thefisheries resources surveillance force, which comprises three articles. Itregulates the functions, tasks, jurisdiction, and responsibility of the forceand the force’s coordination in activities.
However, the organisation of the force’sapparatus was still debatable.
The NA Standing Committee is scheduled toconvene the closing meeting of the eighth session on March 21 afternoon.-VNA
VNA
