The application of the European Community regulation No 1005/2008 on tuna longline fisheries in Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam

Abstract

The fishery sector is a significant contributor to national income as well as a source of employment for local people. The export value of Vietnamese fisheries product is around US$ 4 billion annually. The tuna fisheries have become a key contributor to Vietnamese seafood export. The main markets for Vietnamese tuna products are the European Commission (EC), United States (US) and Japan. Vietnamese fisheries are considered as small-scale and traditional, with a large number of actors. The large number of actors coupled with incoherence between the legal frameworks and fishing practices has led to an increase in illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing activities. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), IUU fishing is a global problem that is negatively affecting the environment, ecosystems, biodiversity, fish stocks and social-economic conditions of people. To deter and eliminate IUU fishing, the EC adopted the IUU regulation, which came into effect from 1st January 2010. The IUU regulation applies to all countries that have fish trade with the EC. The goals of the regulation are sustainable resource management and exploitation, while providing sustainable economic, environmental and social conditions. According to the IUU regulation, the import of fishery products into the EC is only allowed when accompanied by a certified catch certificate that ensures that the products is not a result of IUU fishing. Thus, in order to export fish to the EC, Vietnam has introduced catch certificates. Although fisheries regulations in Vietnam have improved, there are mismatches between the Vietnamese regulations and the EC’s IUU regulation. In its implementation of the IUU regulation, the Vietnam’s tuna longline fisheries is facing various problems and challenges with regards to the process of issuing catch certificates and fishing licenses, resources management and conservation, lack of an updated resource database, keeping logbooks and reporting, low education of fishers, and corruption. This thesis analyzes these problems and challenges. The study found that due to the inconsistencies between the EC’s IUU regulation and the Vietnamese regulations as well as Vietnam’s practical implementation of these regulations, there seems to be limitations to how effective the combat against IUU fishing will be. Despite the apparent implementation of EC regulations in Vietnam, IUU fishing activities still take place and IUU fish products are still being exported to the EC from Vietnam.