Thanh Hoa: The People's Committee of the northern central province of Thanh Hoa on March 13 held a conference to deploy urgent tasks and solutions to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Speaking at the conference, Director of the province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Van Cuong, who is also Standing Deputy Head of the provincial Steering Committee on combating IUU fishing, requested relevant departments, agencies and coastal localities to thoroughly address outstanding shortcomings and limitations towards promptly preventing and fully ending IUU fishing in the province. The province's Fisheries Sub-Department and Thanh Hoa Fishing Port Management Board will continue to assign staff to guide households and fishing vessel owners to complete paperwork as prescribed. They will keep coordinating with border guards and waterway traffic police to strengthen patrols and control of fishing activities to strictly handle violations. The fisheries sub-department strictly updated the volume of seafood catches unloaded at local ports onto the national database. Any fishing vessels that are found to not meet regulations or commit IUU fishing must be reported to the competent authority for properly handling. Competent agencies and localities were asked to intensify communications activities to raise vessel owners and households' understanding on regulations against IUU fishing. Vessels without registration, fishing licences and certificates that prove their seaworthiness (vessels with 3 NOs) are not allowed to operate at sea. Meanwhile, the provincial Border Guard Command will organise a crackdown to ensure that vessels without papers, license plates or vessel monitoring system (VMS) are not allowed to sail. They will also focus on verifying and handle cases where fishing vessels' VMS lose connection while the ships are at sea or fishing vessels go beyond permitted boundaries at sea. Thanh Hoa is among provinces that will be inspected during the fifth working round with the inspection delegation from the European Commission (EC) in May./. Source: Vietnam News Agency Surin, Minister of Commerce Led a team to inspect rice quality for the 10-year old rice pledging project in Surin Province. Found 145,590 sacks still of good quality. Prepared to consult with the NCB to quickly find a way to drain the matter to preserve the benefits of the entire state and clear up problems for all parties. Mr. Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, revealed that due to receiving a letter of complaint from the Thai Agricultural Product Inspection Business Association. which was affected by accusations that the rice in the rice pledging program was not stored up to standard and was found to be of deteriorated quality to the point that it could not be sold for human consumption. He took the opportunity to inspect government officials in the areas of Surin, Sisaket and Ubon Ratchaburi provinces to inspect the warehouse where rice in the project has been stored for 10 years at the warehouse. Poonphon Trading Co., Ltd., behind 4 Muang District, and Kittichai Wareho use, behind 2, Prasat District, Surin Province. Separated into warehouse Poonphon Trading Co., Ltd., Building No. 4, has 32,879 sacks of rice remaining, and Kittichai Warehouse No. 2 has 112,711 sacks of rice remaining, totaling 145,590 sacks. And after inspection which has a private warehouse owner Provincial Commerce Officer, OCSC, all three of whom hold the keys to open the warehouse. along with the director and senior executives of the Ministry of Commerce Participated in the rice quality inspection this time. It was found that the rice stored in the warehouse was still of good quality. 'We took a sample of rice from a sack. Come out and try cooking and tasting. The quality of the cooked rice is still good and can be eaten. I think the problem should be solved quickly. Because during this time The price of rice is quite good. If you rush to sell, drain it out. It will preserve the interests of the state and clear up problems for all parties. This matter will be brought to the meeting of Rice Policy and M anagement Committee (NRCT) because if we don't act quickly today, the longer the price of rice falls, the worse it will be. You will have to pay a lot of rent for the course costs. It is considered that we have come together to solve the problem,' Mr. Phumtham said. Source: Thai News Agency