Vietnam fisheries surveillance units equipped with weapons   Fisheries surveillance vessel KN 781, the most state-of-the-art fisheries surveillance ship so far in Vietnam, was put into operation by the Vietnam Fisheries Resources Surveillance Department on June 30, 2014. Tuoi Tre Vietnam’s fisheries resources surveillance forces have officially been equipped with military weapons and support tools since February 26, the effective date of a joint legal document promulgated by the two ministries involved in this issue. Under Joint Circular 01/2015 dated January 13, 2015 by the Ministries of Public Security and Agriculture and Rural Development on equipment, management, and use of military weapons, support tools, and apparatus of fisheries resources surveillance units, they are to be equipped with four types of support tools as of February 26, 2015. The first type includes guns that fire plastic bullets, rubber bullets, tear gas, asphyxiating gas, anesthetics, magnetic field, laser, flares, and bullets used for guns of these types.  The second consists of sprayers of tear gas, asphyxiating gas, toxic substance, anesthetics or itchy substances. The third comprises smoke grenades, tear-gas grenades, and exploding balls. And the last one includes electric clubs, rubber clubs, metal clubs, handcuffs, armors, electric gloves, knife-snatching gloves, shields, and anti-bullet helmets. Meanwhile, military weapons for the fisheries surveillance force are provided for in Article 9 of Decree 76/2014 dated July 29, 2014 by the central government. Accordingly, fisheries resources surveillance officers are equipped with handguns, submachine guns and bullets used for these guns; while fisheries resources surveillance vessels are entitled to use light machine-guns, machine guns, 14.5-mm guns, and bullets used for guns of these types.   Officers who are assigned to use the above weapons and support tools must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including the ordinance on management and use of weapons, explosives, and support tools dated June 30, 2011. Heads of fisheries resources surveillance units must assign weapons and support tools to qualified officers for use; keepers of warehouses of weapons and support tools must abide by regulations on examination and maintenance of such items; and the delivery and reception of these items must be recorded in registers with signatures of all persons involved, according to the joint circular. TUOI TRE NEWS