The United States hands over a modern fisheries surveillance training facility to Vietnam

The hand-over ceremony between the US Embassy in Vietnam and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development took place on June 13 in Phu Quoc, Kien Giang province.

Mr. Todd D. Robinson, Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, US Department of State and associates from the US Mission to Vietnam. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien, on behalf of the Vietnamese side, received the hand-over of the facility.

The fisheries surveillance training facility in Phu Quoc has a total investment capital of 1.98 million USD, funded by the US Government along with counterpart fund from the Vietnamese Government. The facility, which finished construction in May 2021, helps to meet the training needs for the Central Fisheries Surveillance Force and 28 coastal provinces and cities in Vietnam.

The support from the US Government is exemplary of the cooperation relationship between the two countries in strengthening the maritime law enforcement capacity of the Vietnamese Fisheries Surveillance Forces, ensuring the safety of fishermen and other fishing activities.

At the hand-over ceremony, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien expressed his sincere thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the US Government, with special regards to the US Department of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs who has provided invaluable support to the Government of Vietnam, the fisheries sector and the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Forces.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will direct the Department of Fisheries Surveillance, the receiving unit, to use the Fisheries Surveillance training facility for the appropriate purposes and effectively as committed to the US side.

According to Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien, Vietnam has great potential for the development of the fishery industry, with a sea area three times larger than the land area, a coastline of over 3,260km, an area of ​​internal waters and territorial sea of ​​226,000 square kilometers as well as an exclusive economic zone of over 1 million square kilometers. The country has nearly 4 million fishermen engaged in fishing activities at sea.

The Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Force is a specialized force of the State located under the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, performing the task of patrolling, inspecting, controlling, detecting, preventing and handling the violations of the law on fisheries, specialized inspection of aquatic products at sea.

Therefore, it requires the enforcer to have expertise and in-depth knowledge of fisheries law, different types of fishing, violations, knowledge of marine management, naval operations skills and knowledge of international practices in the field aquatic resources exploitation and protection. In addition, the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Force is also involved in supporting fishermen, search and rescue, and fighting to protect Vietnam's sovereignty and jurisdiction over the seas.

The Vietnamese Fisheries Surveillance Force has received much attention from the Government in developing, investing in facilities and improving the capacity of the Fisheries Surveillance Force. In addition, during the operation of the Fisheries Surveillance Force, it has received the support from many countries and international organizations, especially the US Government's support in raising maritime law enforcement capacity.

Immediately after the hand-over ceremony, Mr. Todd D. Robinson, Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien attended the Opening Ceremony for the Officer Training Course under the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Force and local seafood inspectors, trained by the US Coast Guard.

This is one of the activities where the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Force has received knowledge and experience from US instructors.