Overcoming the "IUU yellow card": Dong Thap strictly manages the fishing fleet

According to the People's Committee of Dong Thap province, the locality is continuing to resolutely implement solutions to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, aiming to contribute to the whole country in removing the "yellow card" in the coming time.

Accordingly, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested heads of agencies, units and localities to continue to effectively implement Plan No. 2390/KH-BCĐ dated August 27, 2025 of the Provincial Steering Committee for Combating IUU Fishing on the peak of resource mobilization to strengthen the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in Dong Thap province; focus on leadership, direction and resource allocation to resolutely, synchronously, comprehensively and effectively deploy solutions to combat IUU fishing in the area.

Providing anti-IUU fishing documents to fishermen. Photo: VNA

The province is determined to prevent and not allow fishing vessels to violate illegal fishing in foreign waters, negatively affecting the common efforts to remove the IUU "Yellow Card" warning of the whole country; promptly detect and strictly handle violations of regulations against IUU fishing. Heads of agencies, units, Chairmen of People's Committees of relevant communes and wards are responsible to the Provincial People's Committee if they fail to complete their units' tasks of combating IUU fishing.

Dong Thap effectively carries out propaganda work, maintains the operation of the information system, propagates from the province to the grassroots, disseminates the law, and does not violate IUU fishing. Localities coordinate with functional forces to organize direct propaganda, disseminate the law on preventing and combating IUU fishing; strengthen control and supervision of fishing vessel activities at sea, and promptly prevent fishing vessels of Dong Thap province at risk of violating IUU.

In addition, Dong Thap province strictly manages the fishing fleet, compiles statistics, and makes a list of fishing vessels that are not qualified to operate; have not registered, have not been granted a certificate of technical safety for fishing vessels, have not been granted a fishing license, and have not installed a voyage monitoring device (VMS) to bring management vehicles from the mainland to anchor, and are not allowed to go to sea.

The province directs competent authorities (Border Guard; fishing ports; representative offices, inspectors, fisheries control...) to inspect and control fishing vessels, ensuring they are not allowed to leave port to participate in fishing activities.

At the same time, it is necessary to carry out well the work of granting fishing licenses, registering and inspecting fishing vessels, and issuing certificates of establishments meeting food safety and hygiene conditions; installing equipment to monitor fishing vessel journeys, ensuring that 100% of fishing vessels operate in accordance with regulations. On the other hand, it is necessary to strengthen inspection, control, and monitoring of journeys and turn on signals 24/7 when leaving the port until returning to the dock in accordance with regulations; ensuring that fishing vessels participating in fishing activities must have numbers, license plates, and fishing vessel markings according to regulations.

The province monitors 100% of offshore fishing vessels, especially high-risk vessels, regularly handles fishing vessels that cross the border; resolutely and strictly handles fishing vessels that lose signal for more than 6 hours and more than 10 days while operating at sea; closely coordinates with the Command of Coast Guard Regions 3 and 4, promptly informs and handles situations at sea; there are no cases of fishing vessels from Dong Thap province illegally exploiting foreign waters. At the same time, the list of fishing vessels at high risk of violating IUU fishing is posted on the database on the fishing vessel monitoring system (VMS) for law enforcement agencies to check and handle according to regulations.

Local authorities strictly control the transfer of aquatic products at sea; strictly handle fishing vessels that violate illegal fishing practices, transfer aquatic products at sea, or do not enter designated fishing ports to unload products according to regulations.

At the same time, Dong Thap seriously carries out the work of confirming, certifying, and tracing the origin of exploited aquatic products; resolutely handles violations of "Document legalization" for shipments exported to the European market.

The province shall fully update information on port loading and unloading output and fishing port performance results into the Googlesheet file of the Department of Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance in accordance with regulations.

Localities make 100% declaration on the eCDT system when ships dock at the port to sell fish and leave the port to go fishing; issue certificates of unloading output through the port, issue certificates of exploited aquatic product materials (SC certificates), and certificates of exploited aquatic product material sources (CC certificates) via the eCDT system, ensuring transparency and legality of exported exploited aquatic products.

Along with that, the province has strengthened the implementation of peak periods of law enforcement, investigation, verification, and resolute handling of IUU fishing violations; including resolute handling of violations of lost connection to journey monitoring, dismantling and transporting journey monitoring equipment, and illegal fishing in foreign waters...

Source: https://cand.com.vn/doi-song/khac-phuc-the-vang-iuu-dong-thap-quan-ly-chat-doi-tau-khai-thac-i784542/