On January 14^th, 2019 in Hanoi, The Fisheries Information Center and the General Department of Fisheries have coordinated with the Center for Marine Biological Conservation and Community Development (MCD) to organize Consultation Workshop: “Assessment Report on Vessel Tracking Analysis and Technology Solutions of Electronic Catch Documentation and Traceability (eCDT) Systems in Vietnam”.

Photo: Mr. Le Van Ninh, Deputy Director of the Fisheries Information Center

The workshop aimed to consult stakeholders about the overview on the current situation of data analysis of fishing vessel monitoring data in Vietnam for the management and proposal of cooperation plan on fishing vessel data analysis within the 2020-2021 period.

In 2020, Vietnamese coastal provinces will be urging to complete the installation of a cruise monitoring system in accordance with the revised fishery law and regulations. This is a great challenge for provinces housing large fishing vessels with over 15 meters in length, such as Ca Mau with over 4,000 ships and Binh Dinh with more than 6000 ships in this category. The task is not only to perfect the system installation, but also to use the information effectively to handle violations or detect and prevent timely high-risk cases.

Another aspect related to market demand needs information retrieved from fishery products so that the implementation of electronic logging is a key step. In preparation for the pilot model with the tuna value chain in Binh Dinh province, the workshop clarified the requirements and criteria for standards selection for technology for electronic traceability.

Photo: Participants in Workshop

More than 40 delegates from the General Department of Fisheries such as the Information Center, Department of Exploitation, Legal Service, Department of Fisheries Control and Provincial Fisheries Sub-Department such as Binh Dinh, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau,… Among them are associations such as Vietnam Tuna Association – Vinatuna, Vietnam Association of Vinafish; research institutes such as the Fisheries Economics and Planning Institute, the Research Institute of Marine Fisheries; expert in electronic journal technology and traceability; Non-governmental organizations; technology supply units and communication units.

Regarding the seminar on the pilot model of electronic logging, Mr. Pham Ngoc Tuan – Deputy Director of Department of Fisheries, Directorate of Fisheries clarified the procedures for logging and traceability of current seafood. Mr. Le Van Ninh, Deputy Director of the Fisheries Information Center, Directorate of Fisheries clarified the purpose, technical and standard conformity requirements for the pilot’s electronic logging and electronic traceability technology (eCDT).

Representatives from 7 vendors, software and electronics research organizations have attended and contributed their ideas, desires and determination in giving a technological solutions for mining logs and electronic traceability for pilot use. The participants at the seminar all agreed on the necessity of applying electronic technology to the management of exploitation and traceability. This will help to simplify the paperwork processes and most importantly, to meet the needs traceability and accuracy of logging logs but, this is a multi-step process that needs a suitable roadmap. Admiringly, enterprises have expressed goodwill and willingness to cooperate to produce products that meet the immediate needs of the pilot and the long-term demand is the spirit of international integration of the fisheries industry.

Photo: Ms. Nguyen Thu Hue – Director of MCD