Join hands to combat IUU fishing.

An Giang is implementing various solutions to manage fisheries exploitation, restore fisheries resources, and prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, aiming for sustainable fisheries.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Thanh Ca - lecturer at the Faculty of Environment, Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment, former Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Science and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment , Vietnam's marine fisheries resources in general and An Giang province in particular are being depleted very rapidly. The decline in fisheries resources has negative impacts on the income and livelihoods of people who depend on the sea, especially fishermen.

The Provincial Fisheries and Fisheries Inspection Department, along with local people, organized the release of aquatic species back into their natural environment. Photo: THIEN NHAN

One of the main causes of the decline in fish stocks is long-term overfishing. Some people also use illegal and prohibited fishing gear and methods such as trawling, cage fishing, and bottom trawling with iron frames combined with boats, tractors, and pumps in coastal and inland waters, using nets with excessively small mesh sizes. Furthermore, some people even use explosives, high-powered spotlights, electric shock devices, and cyanide poison to catch fish. These actions not only deplete resources but also destroy the marine ecosystem, affecting the natural recovery of fish species.

According to the An Giang Fisheries and Fisheries Inspection Department, the province currently has 10,913 fishing vessels operating in the area. With such a large number of vessels and limited natural resources, many sea areas are facing pressure from overfishing. In reality, the province's catch is declining year by year, many economically valuable species are becoming increasingly scarce, and the size of the harvested fish is smaller than before.

Alarmingly, the situation regarding IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing remains complex, with many fishing vessels from the province being seized by foreign authorities for illegal fishing in foreign waters. This shows that the risk of IUU fishing still exists, significantly affecting the image of Vietnam's fisheries as well as the country's efforts to lift the European Commission's (EC) "yellow card".

Faced with this situation, An Giang province has implemented a comprehensive set of solutions to protect its aquatic resources and prevent IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing, with public awareness campaigns identified as the most important. Authorities regularly disseminate legal regulations on fisheries exploitation, guiding fishermen to strictly comply with regulations on combating IUU fishing and to avoid fishing in foreign waters. The province has distributed over 6,000 leaflets and 7,000 booklets on combating IUU fishing to boat owners, captains, and fishermen.

The management of fishing vessels continues to be strengthened through the review, registration, inspection, licensing, and management of fishing vessel operations at sea. The province is implementing the installation of vessel tracking systems (VMS) on 100% of vessels 15 meters or longer, promptly detecting and preventing potential violations.

Authorities are intensifying patrols, inspections, and strictly handling violations such as the use of prohibited fishing gear, illegal fishing, and cases of intentionally turning off vessel tracking devices while operating at sea. In addition to management efforts, the province also organizes numerous annual fish stocking campaigns to replenish aquatic resources in rivers, seas, and natural ecosystems, aiming to restore resources, protect biodiversity, and raise community awareness in protecting the aquatic environment. In April 2026, the Provincial Fisheries and Fisheries Inspection Department released over 8 million fish fry into the environment, with the participation of 90 organizations and individuals from within and outside the province.

Mr. Duong Van Hung, a resident of Tan Thanh commune, said: “Every time the local authorities encourage participation in releasing shrimp and crab larvae to replenish aquatic resources, I donate more than 1 million shrimp and crab larvae of various types. Although the contribution is small, I hope to contribute to the regeneration and restoration of aquatic resources, preserving a long-term livelihood for the people.”

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Quach Van Toan, in the long term, the Department will investigate and assess the reserves of aquatic resources; trends in the fluctuation of aquatic resources; the maximum allowable sustainable exploitation of total aquatic product output; the structure of fishing methods, target species, and fishing areas to advise the Provincial People's Committee on determining fishing license quotas in the coastal and offshore waters of An Giang province in accordance with the Fisheries Law. At the same time, the province will reorganize the fishing industry towards sustainability, reduce pressure on coastal fishing, encourage the conversion to suitable fishing methods for inefficient vessels or those at risk of violating anti-IUU fishing regulations; and develop aquaculture to create stable livelihoods for people while protecting natural resources.

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Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/chung-tay-chong-khai-thac-iuu-a485947.html