Vietnamese authorities are investigating illegal Chinese fish farms in Cam Ranh Bay, Khanh Hoa Province.
Chinese owners flee
Tran Tinh, Vice Chairman of Cam Linh Ward People's Committee, said agencies, including customs checkpoints, Border Guards 384 and the police, are monitoring the fish farming areas. However there is confusion about the management system concerning foreign owned farms.
Colonel Ho Thanh Tung, Head of Khanh Hoa Reconnaissance Office of the provincial Border Guards, said they discovered the violation in 2009 and played the role of consultants to provincial authorities about the sensitive issue.
"Cam Ranh City authorities were directed to deal with the issue. However, because the management system is not comprehensive and is confusing, the case has dragged on," Tung said.
Currently, Khanh Hoa Province has 18 Chinese people trading and farming fish. Three of these have been using the names of Vietnamese enterprises, and two have no commercial licenses at all.
Under the consultancy the provincial Border Guards, Khanh Hoa authorities directed Cam Ranh City to deal with the case in December 2009, but little action has been taken as of May 2012. Seven Chinese men have been penalised for violating immigration regulation.
When the news appeared in the press, many of the owners of these companies disappeared. Nguyen Van Sinh, a worker at one of the farms in question said that all of the Chinese managers has fled.
On June 4, Chairman of Cam Ranh People's Committee, Dao Van Hoa said, "We will deal with this case carefully. Currently we are reviewing who is responsible for the violations and will make a report by June 8. Cam Ranh needs tighter security and more effective management because of its strategic location."
Nguyen Khac Toan, Secretary of Khanh Hoa’s Cam Ranh Town Party Unit said, "Many agencies haven't fully realised the situation and the management system is also unclear."
Cam Ranh authorities proposed to reorganise management agencies to create a comprehensive system to deal with such cases.
