Provincial authorities launched a high-point campaign to coordinate patrols, control and handle violations in seafood exploitation activities in the area (June 2025). Photo: Hai Ha
To combat IUU fishing, the province has implemented many drastic measures, focusing on strengthening control, handling violations and raising awareness among fishermen. These efforts aim to contribute to the country's efforts to remove the "yellow card" from the European Commission (EC) and move towards sustainable fisheries development.
In June 2025 alone, the functional forces and the People's Committees of localities in the province organized 24 propaganda sessions to directly disseminate the Fisheries Law to 1,235 fishermen; distributed 1,235 leaflets and documents on regulations on combating IUU fishing, zoning maps, routes, and fishing logs. The forces also increased propaganda on mass media and social networks on regulations on combating IUU fishing, zoning maps, regulations of newly issued decrees and circulars, regulations on natural disaster prevention and search and rescue, etc.
The province currently has 4,281 vessels with a length of over 6m, of which 3,534 vessels are from 6m to 12m long (accounting for 82.5% of the total number of vessels), the number of fishing vessels with a length of 12m or more is 747. Implementing the direction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, by the end of June 2025, fishing vessels with a length of 6m or more have updated CCCD/CMT data on the VNFishbase system at 97.7% (of which vessels with a length of 12m or more have reached 100%) and 98/3,534 vessels under 12m are being updated, accounting for 2.8%.
The Department of Agriculture and Environment and localities continue to maintain and invest in facilities and human resources at fishing vessel control checkpoints; arrange staff on duty 24/7 to guide and carry out procedures for fishing vessels entering/leaving ports and control the output of exploited aquatic products. In the first 6 months of the year, 8,930 vessels entering and leaving ports were received and declared; 2,317 logbooks and exploitation reports were collected and issued. The controlled output of exploited aquatic products was 36,625 tons, of which 1,829.4 tons were at Cai Rong port, 34,796.3 tons were at control points and statistics from communes/wards/towns.
Authorities inspect a fishing vessel's tracking device. Photo: Viet Hoa
The implementation of the fishing vessel monitoring system (VMS) and control of fishing vessels violating the exploitation of seafood in foreign waters is being strictly implemented. 100% (273/273) of fishing vessels from 15m and above have installed and synchronized VMS equipment on the system. Every day, the Department of Agriculture and Environment extracts information on fishing vessels losing VMS connection signal offshore, notifies relevant units and guides and supports fishing vessel owners to fix the loss of VMS connection signal. Every week, a list of fishing vessels at high risk of IUU violations and losing connection offshore for more than 10 days is made and sent to departments, branches, localities in the province and coastal provinces/cities for monitoring, coordination, inspection, verification and handling according to regulations. Through inspection, extraction and notification to 38 fishing vessels of the province at high risk of illegal fishing, the main reason is that they do not have a license or have expired fishing licenses.
In June 2025, the provincial authorities detected and handled 97 violations; collected a fine of 1.2 billion VND to the state budget . The Department of Agriculture and Environment also maintained a hotline to protect aquatic resources. In the first 6 months of 2025, it received 39 reports, verified 10 reports of violations and imposed a fine of 193 million VND.
In the coming time, the forces will continue to strengthen patrols, inspections, control, propaganda, and dissemination of laws on combating IUU fishing. Actively and promptly issue fishing licenses and fully update personal data of fishing vessel owners; Increase the rate of control of fishing vessels through ports, the rate of control of output through ports and at 9 control checkpoints, the rate of declaration via the eCDT electronic system, and the rate of handling violations related to VMS.
Closely monitor offshore fishing vessels that frequently lose VMS signal connection in offshore areas. Arrange and maintain a regular and continuous presence of functional forces and law enforcement forces in the maritime border area with China to promptly prevent fishermen from crossing the border, while supporting and protecting fishermen so they can confidently stay at sea to produce and protect the sovereignty of the sea and islands...
Tran Thanh
Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/no-luc-phong-chong-khai-thac-iuu-3366988.html
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