Directive No. 01/1998/CT-TTg On Prohibiting the Use of Explosives, Electric Shocks, and Toxic Substances for Fisheries Exploitation

DIRECTIVE

OF THE PRIME MINISTER

__________________________

On prohibiting the use
of explosives, electric shocks, and toxic substances for fishing

Using explosives, electric shocks, and toxic substances for fishing is an act of destroying resources, damaging habitats, and polluting the living environment of aquatic species, seriously violating the Ordinance on Protection and Development of Aquatic Resources.

In recent years, the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Fisheries, and many relevant ministries and agencies, as well as provincial people's committees, have issued numerous documents strictly prohibiting such actions. However, the situation of using electric shocks, explosives, and toxic substances for fishing still occurs quite frequently in several provinces, particularly in central provinces.

To strictly enforce the Ordinance on Protection and Development of Aquatic Resources, effectively prevent and ultimately eliminate the use of electric shocks, explosives, and toxic substances for fishing, the Prime Minister issues the following directive:

1. Strictly prohibit all organizations and individuals from producing, trading, storing, transporting illegally, and using explosives, electric shocks, and toxic substances for fishing in all water areas.

2. The Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Industry must strictly manage sources of explosives, detonators, slow-burning fuses, and toxic substances according to the provisions of Decree No. 47/CP dated August 12, 1996 of the Government; resolutely prevent leakage and loss of these materials to the market under any form.

3. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense direct the police force and border guard forces to cooperate with fisheries resource protection forces and local authorities at all levels to conduct inspections, controls, crackdowns, arrests of individuals involved in illegal trading, storage, transportation, and use of explosives, electric shocks, and toxic substances for fishing, and handle them strictly according to the law. By the first quarter of 1998, file charges against some typical cases.

4. The Ministry of Culture and Information directs news agencies, radio stations, and television stations at both central and local levels to regularly publicize and disseminate (without charge) the Ordinance on Protection and Development of Aquatic Resources and the Prime Minister's Directive on Prohibiting the Use of Explosives, Electric Shocks, and Toxic Substances for Fishing; organize concentrated publicity campaigns through various forms on mass media about the harmful effects of fishing with explosives, toxic substances, and electric shocks to raise public awareness that protecting and developing aquatic resources is the responsibility of the entire population.

5. The Ministry of Fisheries shall take the lead in coordinating with central ministries, sectors, and local authorities in implementing the Ordinance on Protection and Development of Aquatic Resources and government regulations on prohibiting the use of explosives, electric shocks, and toxic substances for fishing; instruct the Fisheries Resource Protection Agency and provincial fisheries departments to coordinate with relevant forces and localities to strengthen management, inspection, and supervision of fishing vessel activities before they depart for production at sea; conduct inspections and controls both on land to detect cases of storing, transporting explosives, toxic substances, and electric shocks provided to fishing vessels and products caught by these means for handling according to current regulations.

6. Within 10 working days from the date of receipt of the dossier as mentioned in Sub-clause b, Clause 1, Article 3 above, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will review and submit to the competent authority for decision (Issues exceeding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' jurisdiction will be referred to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision).People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities shall direct Within 10 working days from the date of receipt of the dossier as mentioned in Sub-clause b, Clause 1, Article 3 above, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will review and submit to the competent authority for decision (Issues exceeding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' jurisdiction will be referred to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision).People's Committees of districts, towns, communes, wards to strictly implement this Directive. Develop plans and assign specific responsibilities to relevant departments and functional forces at the local level to effectively carry out propaganda, education work to ensure strict compliance with prohibitions on using explosives, toxic substances, and electric shocks for fishing. At the same time, coordinate with central ministries and neighboring localities to strengthen management, inspection, control, and timely handling of violations related to explosive material management and fishing with explosives, toxic substances, and electric shocks. Plan investigations and classifications to provide assistance to poor fishermen in developing aquaculture or fishing with appropriate tools.

7. The Ministry of Fisheries and Within 10 working days from the date of receipt of the dossier as mentioned in Sub-clause b, Clause 1, Article 3 above, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will review and submit to the competent authority for decision (Issues exceeding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' jurisdiction will be referred to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision).People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities shall develop plans to proactively coordinate with the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Vietnam Women's Union, the Vietnam Farmers' Association, and the Vietnam Veterans Association in mobilizing, publicizing, and educating the public to participate in protecting and developing aquatic resources and opposing fishing with explosives, toxic substances, and electric shocks.

8. Annual funds serving propaganda, education, persuasion, and inspection, crackdown on fishing with explosives, electric shocks, and toxic substances shall be allocated from fines collected for administrative violations in the field of aquatic resource protection. The Ministry of Finance shall coordinate with the Ministry of Fisheries to specify the proportion to be allocated and the principles of managing and using this fund to ensure funding for these activities. In the short term, the Ministry of Planning and Investment will allocate part of the funds from the East Sea and Archipelago program to enable the Ministry of Fisheries to immediately carry out these activities in the first quarter of 1998.

9. The Ministry of Fisheries shall be responsible for monitoring the implementation of this Directive and periodically report to the Prime Minister on the results of its implementation.

Ministers of the Ministries of Fisheries, National Defense, Home Affairs, Industry, Culture and Information, relevant ministries and sectors, and Chairmen Within 10 working days from the date of receipt of the dossier as mentioned in Sub-clause b, Clause 1, Article 3 above, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will review and submit to the competent authority for decision (Issues exceeding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' jurisdiction will be referred to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision).of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities are responsible for enforcing this Directive./.