As in previous years, China is now operating a unilateral fishing ban in a part of the East Sea which includes Viet Nam’s Hoang Sa waters and some sections of the Tonkin Gulf.  The ban is being applied from 1 May to 16 August.

Offshore fishing boats heading out to sea

Fishermen from Da Nang, and the central region as a whole, are expressing their strong opposition to China’s illegal move, and they are strongly determined to continue fishing to earn their livings as well as to protect the country’s sacred sovereignty over its sea and islands.

In recent days, the city’s Tho Quang fishing wharf has seen many fishermen from the city and other central coastal localities busy preparing the necessary provisions for their upcoming offshore fishing trips to Viet Nam’s territorial waters.

Ms Nguyen Thi Thu Huong from Son Tra District’s Nai Hien Dong Ward, the owner of 4 large offshore fishing vessels, affirmed that China’s annual unilateral ban is totally illegal as it seriously infringes the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).  Therefore, her boats are still conducting fishing activities in the Tonkin Gulf and the Hoang Sa waters.  She also asked relevant government agencies to continue to strongly support the Vietnamese fishermen at sea.

On Wednesday, fisherman Nguyen Van Hoa, the owner of a fishing boat from Quang Ngai Province’s Mo Duc District which was anchored at the wharf, determinedly said that he and his crew members were not frightened by this illegal ban and are ready to head out to sea.  

Fishermen making preparations for a trip

He added that supplies of fuel, ice, food and other necessary provisions are now being loaded onto his boat in preparation for his next trip to the Hoang Sa waters.  He noted that his and other vessels from the region will continue heading out to sea in groups or teams in order to counter any possible threats by Chinese vessels.

The Chairman of the municipal Fisheries Association, Mr Tran Van Linh, emphasised that China’s unilateral fishing ban clearly violates human rights and Viet Nam’s sovereignty over the archipelago because it aims to prevent Vietnamese fishermen from carrying out legitimate fishing activities in Viet Nam’s traditional fishing grounds.  “The Association vehemently opposes China’s illegal move”, Chairman Linh remarked. 

In particular, Chairman Linh highlighted the importance of maintaining the operation of offshore fishing teams made up of many fishing boats in order to boost their mutual support at sea.  He asked Viet Nam’s law enforcement forces to increase their presence at sea to help make Vietnamese fishermen feel more secure whilst fishing in Vietnamese waters.

The city’s border guard forces are also focusing on providing Vietnamese fishing boats operating at sea with information about safe areas. 

Members of the city’s Fisheries Surveillance Team No 3 are currently on duty trying to protect Vietnamese fishermen at sea, and safeguard the nation’s sovereignty over its territorial waters.

In a similar vein, the municipal Coastal Information Station is keeping around-the-clock contact with local fishermen operating offshore in order to deal with any unexpected incidents.