Strengthening control over compliance with regulations on IUU fishing

Determined to develop sustainable fisheries and avoid IUU violations, Quang Ninh has deployed many peak periods as well as regularly maintained the management and control of fishing vessels, resolutely not allowing "2 no" and "3 no" fishing vessels to operate at sea. As of May 2025, the whole province had 4,283 fishing vessels from 6m and above, 100% of which were updated on the VNFishbase system, including: Fishing vessels from 6m to under 12m were 3,535, accounting for 82.5%, 3,321 of which were granted fishing licenses, reaching 93.9%; fishing vessels from 12m and above were 748, accounting for 17.5%, 712 of which were granted fishing licenses, reaching 95.2%, 637 of which were still in the inspection period, reaching 85.2%.

Fishing boats of Van Don fishermen anchor after each trip at sea.

Through review, as of May 2025, Quang Ninh still had 579 cases of fishing vessels not meeting operating conditions, including: 83 unregistered fishing vessels; 302 fishing vessels not licensed for fishing; 177 fishing vessels with expired inspection; 17 fishing vessels with long-term VMS disconnection. Regarding this situation, Quang Ninh province directed units and localities to organize verification and management according to their authority, and as a result, 208 cases were verified and handled.

Specifically, for 83 unregistered fishing vessels, 83/83 vessels were verified, thereby showing that 76/83 were not subject to monitoring (21 vessels were sunk and could not be recovered, 7 vessels were dismantled; 42 vessels were not fishing vessels or converted to non-fishing vessels (not operating in fisheries), 3 vessels were registered, no need to be monitored, need to be registered; 7/83 vessels (belonging to Dong Trieu city) are being verified because the fishing vessels operating in other localities do not return to their place of residence. For 302 fishing vessels that have not been licensed to exploit fisheries, the functional units have worked with the ship owners to implement licensing procedures for 52 vessels, reducing the number of vessels that have not been granted/expired fishing licenses to 250 vessels up to now in the province, including vessels with a length of 12m or more to 36 vessels, vessels with a length of 6m or less 12m left 214 ships.

For 177 fishing vessels whose registration has expired (length of 12m or more), the functional units have coordinated to register 66 vessels, and so far 111 fishing vessels are being determined for thorough handling. For 17 fishing vessels that have lost VMS connection for a long time, 14 vessels have been verified and violations have been handled (verifying the status, location, and cause of these fishing vessels being on shore, not operating, so they do not maintain VMS subscriptions), and 3 vessels are currently being verified.

Currently, the whole province still has 371 fishing boats that do not meet operating conditions. This number has been verified and handled by the Department of Agriculture and Environment and localities with sea.

Up to this point, Quang Ninh province has also updated the CCCD for 4,165/4,283 vessels, reaching 97.2%, including 748/748 vessels (reaching 100%) with a length of 12m or more updated; 3,417/3,535 vessels (reaching 96.6%) updated with a length of 6 to less than 12m updated, and 118/3,535 vessels with a length of 6 to less than 12m do not have CCCD information (accounting for 3.4%). The CCCD for fishing vessels is essentially a type of identification document issued to the vessel owner or legal representative of the fishing vessel. The purpose of this is to identify the identity of the operator and manager of the fishing vessel, and is also part of the management of fishing activities.

Authorities check a fishing vessel's tracking device.

As of June 15, 2025, the whole province had 273 fishing vessels with a length of 15 m or more operating in offshore areas that had installed VMS equipment, 273/273 fishing vessels, reaching 100%. The whole province did not detect or receive any notification of the province's fishing vessels violating foreign waters.

Currently, Quang Ninh does not have a fishing port declared according to the provisions of the Fisheries Law. To serve the management work, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has advised the Provincial People's Committee to temporarily declare Cai Rong port type II, and set up 10 control points in the province. As a result, from the beginning of 2025 to now, electronic declaration has been made for 823 ships (including 238 ships participating in eCDT declaration), the output of electronically declared exploited aquatic products reached 1,307.1 tons, of which the IUU Office of Cai Rong port (Van Don) declared for 778 ships, Tien Toi control point (Hai Ha) declared for 30 ships, Vung Duc control point (Cam Pha) declared for 15 ships, the remaining localities and control points have not yet made eCDT declaration.

Accumulated to June 15, 2025, the functional forces of the province have detected and handled 281 cases of fishing vessels violating regulations, collecting fines of over 2.9 billion VND to the state budget. Departments, branches and localities have also stepped up propaganda, urging and supporting fishing vessel owners to fully carry out procedures before leaving port to operate at sea; simultaneously organizing to strictly handle cases of intentional violations, especially handling fishing vessels without numbers, fishing vessels without inspection or license; reviewing and making a list of fishing vessels at high risk of violating IUU fishing; strengthening monitoring, inspection and supervision to promptly detect and handle.

Vietnam China

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/tang-cuong-kiem-soat-viec-chap-hanh-cac-quy-dinh-ve-khai-thac-iuu-3363279.html