YANGON, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar is planning to install vessel monitoring system on all offshore fishing vessels in order to control illegal fishing in the country's territorial waters, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation on Friday.
The installation of the system before the new fishing season is aimed at ensuring fish is caught within the designated areas and the system will help identify and check illegal fishing, Khin Zaw, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, told a seminar held in Yangon Thursday to share fishery co-management experiences.
For the installation of the system software at the Vessel Monitoring Control Center of the Fishery Department, international entrepreneurs and companies have been invited to submit tenders, Khin Zaw said, setting the deadline of the submission for July 22 and the date of announcing the tender winner for July 31.
It has been found that there is a reduction of 90 percent in the population of fish close to the surface and that in the greater depth declined by 40-50 percent in Myanmar's territorial waters compared to 30 years ago.
Khin Zaw called for pushing for sustainable use of fishery resources by controlling illegal fishing.
He further said that the authorities will build control centers in Nay Pyi Taw Council Area, Rakhine state, Taninthayyi and Ayeyawaddy regions to monitor fishing vessels on which the system has been installed.
Navy vessels and the maritime police will also work with the fishery department to check illegal fishing.
Meanwhile, the authorities have declared a no-fishing season in June, July and August, the first three months of the rainy season, and will allow resuming fishing from September.
