Three-pronged attack to remove the "yellow card": Determined before "G hour"

Vietnam Coast Guard approaches to inspect fishing boats in the waters bordering Vietnam-Thailand.

Law enforcement forces at sea, with the Vietnam Coast Guard as the core, are promoting a "three-pronged attack": Propaganda - Support - Inspection and supervision, helping fishermen voluntarily comply with the law and develop sustainable livelihoods.

Assigned by the Ministry of National Defense to be the core force in combating IUU fishing, the Vietnam Coast Guard is coordinating day and night with other forces to synchronously and drastically deploy many solutions, striving to completely end IUU violations by November 15.

Peak month

The peak month of combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing according to the Prime Minister 's Official Dispatch No. 198/CD-TTg dated October 17, 2025 is entering the "sprint" phase. The Vietnam Coast Guard is urgently and resolutely implementing the action plan, determined to end the situation of fishing vessels violating IUU before the set schedule. Six Coast Guard ships and three Border Guard ships have been reinforced and added to the anti-IUU patrol and control fleets across the country's seas.

Major General Le Dinh Cuong, Commander of the Vietnam Coast Guard, said that under the close direction of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense, the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, and directly the Steering Committee of the Ministry of National Defense on combating IUU, during the peak period from August 1 to September 2, the Coast Guard inspected, detected, and arrested 10 cases/14 ships/123 fishermen violating the law.

Of which: 7 cases/11 fishing vessels/109 fishermen seriously violated IUU regulations and 7 other fishing vessels sent VMS devices. Checking, recording, and sanctioning administrative violations of IUU regulations at sea: 68 cases/71 vessels/78 subjects, total fines of nearly 460 million VND. The task force was assigned to deploy and call 1,215 times/fishing vessel that lost VMS signal connection, the rate of fishing vessels turning on VMS devices every day reached an average of 78%, the rate of vessels equipped with VMS reached more than 99% of the vessels required to install.

Since October 28, the Force has been organized into many squadrons including the Coast Guard, Border Guard, Fisheries Surveillance, and Standing Militia to coordinate actions. Every week, 50 to 60 boats operate, both patrolling and controlling, and combining to combat IUU fishing. The goal is to end the situation of fishing boat violations by November 15.

In the Southwest Sea, the hottest place for IUU violations, in the dark, CSB 4039 and its squadron ships are still patrolling diligently. When detecting a suspicious vessel, the ship approaches, drops a boat in the designated laser beam, and a group of officers and employees approach and climb onto the fishing boat amidst the rolling waves.

During the administrative inspection, the ship and crew members had all the necessary procedures and documents. The brothers took the opportunity to propagate to the crew and organized the ship owner and captain to sign a commitment not to violate regulations. When asked about seafood exploitation, fisherman Bui Van Cung, captain of fishing boat KG 93638 TS, residing in An Giang , confidently replied: "The Coast Guard said it, we listened. Our ship makes as much as it earns, we cannot violate the law."

Major General Nguyen Van Dung, Party Secretary and Political Commissar of the Coast Guard Region 4 Command, said that the unit's officers and soldiers are mobilizing their maximum force, determined to join the whole country in removing the IUU "yellow card" before the important inspection by the European Commission. From mid-October until now, dozens of ships and boats will patrol day and night in key sea areas. The direct observation system is strictly maintained, all activities of fishing vessels are monitored 24/7, cases at risk of violating foreign waters are detected early and handled promptly.

Officers and soldiers of the unit are mobilizing maximum force, determined to work with the whole country to remove the IUU "yellow card" before the important inspection by the European Commission.
Major General Nguyen Van Dung, Party Secretary,
Political Commissar of Coast Guard Region 4 Command

Resolutely handling violations, on October 27, the People's Court of An Giang province opened the first instance trial of a criminal case, sentencing two defendants, Nguyen Nhat Linh, captain of fishing boat KG-90937-TS, to 4 years in prison, and Tran Quoc Nam, captain of fishing boat KG90143-TS, to 3 years in prison for "obstructing or disrupting the operation of computer networks, telecommunications networks, and electronic devices" as prescribed in Point e, Clause 2, Article 287 of the Penal Code. The two defendants committed the crime of turning off navigation equipment to take the ship to Malaysian waters to fish. The trial had a very effective educational and deterrent effect. The Vietnam Coast Guard has established a communication mechanism with the authorities of countries sharing maritime boundaries to coordinate activities.

Since the beginning of 2025, the Command of Coast Guard Region 4 has sent 7 letters and received 6 letters from the Cambodian Forward Tactical Command regarding the situation of illegal fishing vessels, fishing ground disputes; illegal entry and exit at sea; search and rescue, marine environmental protection; violations, crimes, smuggling; tasks related to terrorism, security, order, safety...

Support fishermen, create "deep roots and strong roots"

According to Lieutenant General Bui Quoc Oai, Secretary of the Party Committee, Political Commissar of the Vietnam Coast Guard, the Standing Committee of the Party Committee, and Chief of the Vietnam Coast Guard have focused on leading and directing the entire force to resolutely, comprehensively, and synchronously deploy solutions to combat IUU, focusing on propaganda, guidance, and helping fishermen change their awareness and production methods, gradually building a responsible seafood exploitation foundation, associated with protecting the sovereignty of seas and islands, mobilizing the participation of local Party committees and authorities; contributing to preventing and minimizing the situation of Vietnamese fishing vessels violating foreign waters.

The program "Coast Guard accompanies fishermen" was launched in 2017 and maintained regularly in key sea areas such as Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Binh Thuan, Kien Giang, Ca Mau..., and has received active response from units and organizations.

To increase the vividness of the propaganda work, the Military Court of Military Region 9 opened three mock trials to try a number of crimes of violating the law at sea, sentencing them to prison terms ranging from 3 to 8 years... Attending the mock trial, fisherman Nguyen Van Bach in Tran De commune, Can Tho city shared: "Hearing the sentence of several years in prison, I finally saw the full price to pay for violating the law when catching seafood to gain experience for myself when going to sea".

Law enforcement forces at sea have many social security programs and models to support fishermen in developing production and stabilizing their lives. The programs "Coast Guard accompanies fishermen", "Coast Guard with ethnic and religious people", "I love my homeland's sea and islands" contest nationwide; "Helping you go to school" of the Vietnam Coast Guard; "Solidarity team at sea" with the guidance of Fisheries Inspectorate; "Safe boat team", "Self-managed wharf", "Families and religions do not violate IUU", "Border spring warms the hearts of fishermen" of the Border Guard help fishermen support each other in life, share information on fishing grounds, monitor violations, and contribute to reducing IUU violations.

The standing militia fleets coordinated with the Navy to organize more than 300 ships to participate in key sea areas, patrol against IUU fishing, and mobilize fishermen to comply with the law at sea...

All for the goal of removing the IUU "yellow card" before "G" hour, practically contributing to the country's economic development, building sustainable fisheries and marine economy.

(To be continued)

NINH CO - DUC TINH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/ba-mui-giap-cong-go-the-vang-quyet-liet-truoc-gio-g-post920108.html