Efforts to eliminate fishing vessels lacking proper documentation (e.g., "three no's" or "three no's").

The EC inspection team will visit Vietnam for the 5th inspection on addressing the IUU "yellow card" (in October 2024). Local authorities are striving to eliminate "three-no" fishing vessels (no registration, no fishing license, no vessel tracking) and strictly comply with international requirements.

Efforts to combat IUU

As of September 2024, Binh Thuan province had achieved encouraging results in the control and management of fishing vessels. The province registered 6,170 fishing vessels, of which 4,308 had valid fishing licenses, representing 71.2%, demonstrating the local efforts to comply with international regulations on fisheries. The province also completed the installation of vessel tracking systems (VMS) on 1,941 fishing vessels 15 meters or longer, achieving a 100% completion rate. This helps authorities monitor fishing vessel operations and ensure compliance with fisheries regulations.

Fishing boats of fishermen in the An Thoi sea area, Phu Quoc City ( Kien Giang province). Photo: VNA

Recently, Binh Thuan province has also strictly penalized cases of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Since the beginning of the year, the province has penalized 283 cases, with a total fine of over 2.5 billion VND... gradually contributing to preventing illegal fishing activities and ensuring the sustainable development of the fisheries sector.

Khanh Hoa province is also a "bright spot" in effectively implementing IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing measures, with 100% of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports being inspected and controlled. All 3,177 fishing vessels in the province have been registered (100%); 3,116 vessels have been licensed for fishing (98%); and 648 out of 650 fishing vessels 15 meters or longer have installed vessel tracking devices…

Mr. Tran Hoa Nam, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Khanh Hoa province, said: The province has decisively implemented measures to combat IUU fishing during the two peak months (July - August 2024); maintaining the results achieved and ensuring that no violations occur in the future…

Expectations and challenges

Vietnam is facing a golden opportunity to have the EC's "yellow card" warning lifted. However, to achieve this goal, localities need to continue their efforts and be more decisive in combating IUU fishing, not only to protect aquatic resources but also to enhance Vietnam's reputation and position on the international stage.

Despite achieving significant results in combating IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing, coastal localities are still striving to eliminate the remaining number of fishing vessels lacking proper documentation (not registered, unregistered, or lacking licenses). For example, in Binh Thuan province, supporting fishermen in registering their vessels and obtaining fishing licenses is a top priority.

In Khanh Hoa, to control fishing vessels at high risk of violating IUU regulations, Mr. Le Van Hoan, Deputy Director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the locality is managing the fleet, tracing the origin of harvested seafood through eCDT software; and developing policies to support satellite subscription fees for ship owners to maintain the connection of vessel monitoring systems (VMS)...

Authorities have also mobilized maximum resources to closely monitor the activities of fishing vessels, preventing violations at their source. As a result, violations have been significantly controlled and reduced in recent times.

Sharing his views on the immediate tasks needed to combat IUU fishing, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said that compared to the previous four assessments, Vietnam has achieved relatively positive results. In the coming time, the fight against IUU will strengthen information and communication combined with education, and handle administrative violations in accordance with Directive 32-CT/TW. Besides the guidance of state management agencies and law enforcement agencies, Vietnam must also strengthen propaganda to ensure that fishermen understand that Vietnam has integrated into the international economy, with Vietnamese products sold to nearly 180 countries and territories, and therefore must comply with market principles, regulations, and international standards.

It is clear that preparing for the EC inspection is not only the responsibility of local authorities, but also a nationwide task. The success of this inspection will help Vietnam avoid sanctions from the EC, creating favorable conditions for the sustainable development of the fisheries sector.

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