Prime Minister: Complete and complete tasks to combat IUU fishing on time

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs the 23rd online meeting of the National Steering Committee on Combating IUU Fishing - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Attending the meeting, which was connected online to the Government headquarters and coastal provinces and cities, were leaders of ministries, branches, central and local agencies. This is a weekly meeting of the Steering Committee to review and re-examine the tasks and solutions to combat IUU fishing that the Government leaders have assigned to ministries, branches and localities.

100% of fishing vessels nationwide have been registered and updated on the database.
According to reports and opinions at the meeting, last week, ministries, branches and localities completed 85/99 tasks (an increase of 30 tasks compared to the previous week), and are continuing to deploy 14 tasks according to the progress assigned by the Prime Minister .

The management of fishing vessels and monitoring of fishing activities continued to make significant progress. 100% of fishing vessels (79,360 fishing vessels) were registered and updated on the national fisheries database VNFishbase. The number of fishing vessels that were not qualified to operate was controlled by localities, assigned to communes/wards, forces, and management officers with the anchorage locations of fishing vessels. The VNFishbase database was connected with the fishing vessel control software of the Ministry of National Defense and VNeID of the Ministry of Public Security (handling the problem of data conflicts between platforms).

The agencies have completed the submission of Decree No. 301 dated November 17, 2025 amending and supplementing Decree No. 38 of the Government regulating administrative sanctions for violations in the fisheries sector; and are seeking opinions from Government members on the draft Decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 37/2024/ND-CP.

During the week, no fishing vessels violating foreign waters were arrested or handled. The situation of handling violations of the law in IUU fishing continued to have positive changes; law enforcement and handling of fishing vessels violating IUU fishing were carried out seriously, especially fishing vessels violating illegal fishing abroad.

Up to now, the handling of violations of VMS connection loss and exceeding the permitted exploitation boundary has been basically completed, reaching a rate of 99.97% (08/21,873 cases remaining). Last week alone, 64 outstanding violations of VMS connection loss and exceeding the permitted exploitation boundary were handled, decreasing from 72 cases to 8 cases; 17/22 localities have completed the handling, an increase of 2 localities compared to the previous week.

According to the report of the Ministry of Public Security, 9 cases/16 defendants were brought to trial for the crimes of "Organizing illegal exit and entry for others" and "Obstruction or disruption of the operation of computer networks, telecommunications networks, and electronic devices".

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang reports at the meeting - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Many key tasks completed on schedule
Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that since the beginning of November, provinces and cities in the Central region have been continuously coping with storm No. 13 and unprecedented, prolonged heavy rains. This is one of the most serious and fierce natural disasters, causing great loss of life and property, disrupting and halting production and business activities.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, the Prime Minister expressed his deepest condolences to the people and local authorities affected by floods, especially the relatives of those who died, went missing, or were injured. The Prime Minister continued to call on the business community, entrepreneurs, people nationwide, and philanthropists to join hands, support, and share with the people of the Central region during this difficult time.

The Prime Minister requested that Party committees and authorities of affected localities focus on urgently overcoming the consequences caused by floods and quickly stabilize people's lives.

The Prime Minister highly appreciated the serious, urgent and effective working spirit of ministries, branches and localities and basically agreed with the reports and opinions expressed at the meeting, demonstrating high determination in resolutely declaring war on IUU fishing and the EC's "yellow card" determination in 2025.

The Prime Minister noted that during the week, many tasks continued to have positive changes, with each week being better than the previous week. Many key tasks were completed according to schedule. In particular, the Prime Minister continued to commend the Ministry of National Defense (10/10 tasks completed), the Ministry of Public Security (7/8 tasks), the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (30/33 tasks); localities (17/19 tasks); the Ministry of Science and Technology (5/5 tasks)... The remaining tasks must be completed before November 30.

The Prime Minister requested the timely completion of tasks to combat IUU fishing - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

In addition to the achieved results, the Prime Minister pointed out that there are still 5 localities that have not completed handling the remaining administrative violations of VMS connection loss and exceeding the permitted exploitation boundary, with 8 cases including Khanh Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, Ca Mau, An Giang, Tay Ninh. The Prime Minister requested the above localities to completely handle this matter next week.

Along with that, some localities have not yet completely handled cases of fishing vessels and fishermen being arrested by foreign countries, but have information about the registration of fishing vessels and fishermen. At the same time, 3/22 provinces and cities (Gia Lai, Tay Ninh, Lam Dong) have not yet issued policies on job conversion and liquidation of fishing vessels that do not need to operate in fisheries and policies to support fishermen in upgrading and replacing VMS equipment.

The Prime Minister stated that it has been more than a month since the Prime Minister issued the Action Plan for the peak month to combat IUU fishing and sustainably develop Vietnam's fisheries sector (Decision No. 2310/QD-TTg dated October 17, 2025). According to progress requirements, all tasks set out in the Plan have reached the deadline.

The head is responsible if the violation recurs.
Assigning tasks for the coming time, the Prime Minister once again reiterated the requirement that heads of ministries, branches, and localities take direct and full responsibility before the Government and the Prime Minister if fishing vessels violate or are slow to remove the IUU "yellow card".

Continue to strictly implement the regime of periodically reporting the results of anti-IUU implementation to the Steering Committee (summarize and report the results periodically before 10:00 every Monday, report monthly periodically on the 15th of each month and ad hoc (through the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment - the Standing agency of the Steering Committee). Conduct a preliminary review of the implementation of the Peak Month against IUU fishing.

Seriously and fully update data to fisheries databases such as: National Fisheries Database (Vnfishbase); handling administrative violations in the fisheries sector; VMS fishing vessel monitoring system; System for handling administrative violations in the fisheries sector, System for tracing aquatic product origins (eCDT).

The Prime Minister requested to always be ready to welcome the EC inspection delegation and provide complete, consistent, and synchronous information between ministries, branches, and localities.

The Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to preside over and coordinate with ministries, sectors and coastal localities to fully and comprehensively evaluate the results of the implementation of the Action Plan for the peak month of combating IUU fishing and sustainable development of Vietnam's fisheries sector. Coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense to deploy and effectively implement the Inter-sectoral Coordination Regulation on combating IUU fishing.

Continue to preside over and coordinate with ministries and branches to inspect and guide all coastal localities with fishing vessels to carefully prepare for the working content with the 5th EC inspection team. Continue to complete the Negotiation Plan, work with the EC inspection team and report on the progress of combating IUU fishing.

The Prime Minister directed the People's Committees of coastal provinces and cities with fishing vessels to proactively grasp the situation, focus on leadership, and direct drastic, comprehensive, and effective measures to combat IUU fishing - Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Proactively contact the Directorate General for Maritime and Seafood Affairs of the European Commission to clarify and provide necessary information for the inspection team; regularly maintain contact, exchange, and provide full information to the EC, and report to the Government and the Prime Minister on matters beyond its authority.

Complete the completion of the traceability dossier and national fisheries data, and publicize it on the mass media, as directed at the meeting in previous weeks, to be completed before November 30, 2025.

Urgently study, absorb, and explain to Government members to complete and submit to the Government for promulgation a Decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 37, to be completed by November 26.

Preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Construction to strictly control aquatic raw materials imported into Vietnam under the PSMA Agreement and by container ships, ensuring to thoroughly prevent IUU-exploited aquatic raw materials from entering the Vietnamese market.

The Ministry of National Defense effectively implements the Inter-sectoral Coordination Regulations on combating IUU fishing. Continues to carry out peak patrols and controls in the waters bordering Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, etc.; controls fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, and strictly handles fishing vessels that are not qualified to participate in activities.

The Ministry of Public Security continues to direct competent authorities to speed up the investigation, consolidate files to prosecute and try initiated cases according to regulations. Continue to improve the features of the fishing vessel management system on the VNeID software, serving the work of controlling fishing vessels and fishermen entering and leaving ports according to regulations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urgently verifies and clarifies information about fishing vessels detained by foreign countries with unknown registration numbers and fishermen's information, as requested by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. Continues to collect information and compile full statistics of fishermen participating in IUU fishing in foreign waters who have been returned for competent authorities to handle according to regulations.

The Prime Minister directed the People's Committees of coastal provinces and cities with fishing vessels to proactively grasp the situation, focus on leading and directing drastic, comprehensive and effective measures to combat IUU fishing in the area, and absolutely not allow violations and negativity to affect the common efforts to remove the EC's "Yellow Card" warning.

Maintain strict control of all fishing vessels entering and leaving the port according to regulations; resolutely not allow unqualified or unregistered fishing vessels to participate in activities. At the same time, update weekly the list of fishing vessels at high risk of violating IUU fishing according to regulations.

Closely monitor and supervise fishing vessels operating at sea 24/7 via the VMS system; promptly warn and contact ship owners and captains to ensure that no violations of VMS connection or violations of permitted fishing boundaries at sea occur.

Urgently complete the handling of fishing vessels and fishermen detained by foreign countries in 2024 and 2025, and have information on fishing vessel and fisherman registration; complete before November 30, 2025. Urgently issue policies on job conversion, creating sustainable livelihoods for fishermen, complete before November 30, 2025. Take responsibility for cases of closing files without imposing administrative penalties for acts of losing VMS connection according to the law.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism continues to direct press agencies to step up information and communication about our anti-IUU fishing activities, especially on foreign language channels. Timely refute false and hostile arguments against the directions of the Party, Government, Prime Minister and Vietnam's anti-IUU fishing efforts.

Associations and enterprises strictly comply with not purchasing, processing, or exporting aquatic products originating from IUU fishing. Actively coordinate closely with competent authorities in investigating, verifying, and strictly and thoroughly handling organizations, individuals, and aquatic product enterprises that conduct illegal business, assist, or condone IUU behavior.

The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to report to the EC, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send a Deputy Minister to discuss and contact the EC this week on this content.

Source: https://dangcongsan.org.vn/tin-hoat-dong/thu-tuong-hoan-thanh-dut-diem-dung-han-cac-nhiem-vu-chong-khai-thac-iuu.html