The Prime Minister calls for decisive action against IUU fishing.

The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to coordinate with the Ministry of National Defence to immediately implement the inter-ministerial coordination regulations on combating IUU fishing.

On the afternoon of November 11, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired the 21st session of the National Steering Committee on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, online with 21 coastal provinces and cities.

The Prime Minister calls for a decisive month-long campaign against IUU fishing. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac.

8 out of 22 localities have dealt with the violations.

Over the past week (November 4-11), ministries, sectors, and coastal localities nationwide have implemented a comprehensive range of measures, achieving positive results in combating IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing. Ministries, sectors, and localities have completed 31 out of 66 tasks, including establishing specialized task forces to patrol, monitor, and handle fishing vessels violating foreign waters to prevent further violations; and strengthening border guard forces to control fishing vessels.

Establishing interconnected and synchronized data between the Ministry of National Defense's control database and the fisheries traceability system. The Ministry of Public Security has led a delegation to inspect difficulties and obstacles in the process of handling administrative violations; local police forces are accelerating the review and investigation of fishing vessels violating IUU regulations, especially those crossing territorial boundaries.

Ministries and agencies, in coordination with 21 coastal localities, are conducting a comprehensive review and inspection of fishing vessels to supplement and complete the VNeID database. Simultaneously, they are investigating and prosecuting organizations and individuals involved in the falsification of documents.

The management of fishing vessels and monitoring of fishing activities continues to make significant progress, with the registration and updating of nearly 80,000 fishing vessels on the national fisheries database being basically completed at 99.9%. The number of fishing vessels that do not meet the operating requirements continues to decrease. Local authorities have completed the classification and compilation of lists of fishing vessels that do not meet the registration requirements or fishing license requirements, and assigned local authorities and relevant forces to monitor and manage them, ensuring they do not participate in fishing activities.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien reports at the meeting. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac.

The handling of violations of the law in IUU fishing continues to show positive progress. To date, 8 out of 22 localities have resolved outstanding administrative violations related to VMS disconnection and exceeding permitted fishing boundaries. The Ministry of Public Security has initiated new criminal proceedings in 2 cases involving 2 defendants; bringing the total number of cases initiated from October 1st to November 7th, 2025 to 23 cases/31 defendants (cumulatively from 2024 to November 7th, 2025, 88 criminal cases have been initiated, 132 defendants have been prosecuted; 44 cases and 90 defendants have been brought to trial).

Put an end to the practice of "fishing at all costs" immediately.

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated the ministries, agencies, especially the Army, the Police, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and the localities for their continued resolute and decisive actions in combating IUU fishing and their determination to lift the European Commission's (EC) "yellow card" in 2025; the results each week were better than the previous week. In particular, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defense basically completed their assigned tasks on time and according to schedule.

The Prime Minister requested that ministries, sectors, and localities thoroughly disseminate to officials and Party members the Prime Minister's viewpoint and guiding principles in resolutely declaring war on violations of regulations on IUU fishing, and determined to lift the EC's "yellow card" against Vietnam's fisheries by 2025.

In addition, we must seriously implement the resolutions, conclusions, official dispatches, and directives of the Party, the Government, and the Prime Minister, especially Decision No. 2310/QD-TTg dated October 17, 2025, on the action plan for the peak month to combat IUU fishing and promote sustainable development of Vietnam's fisheries sector; and the inter-sectoral coordination regulations on combating IUU fishing (Decision 2446/QD-TTg dated November 5, 2025).

It is urgent and serious to fully update data into fisheries databases such as: the National Fisheries Database (VNFishbase), the system for handling administrative violations in the fisheries sector; the VMS fishing vessel monitoring system; the system for handling administrative violations in fisheries; and the aquatic product traceability system (eCDT); ensuring that the data is "accurate - complete - clean - active" and consistent to manage fisheries in a systematic, timely, and smooth manner.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presides over the 21st session of the National Steering Committee on combating IUU fishing. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac.

The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to coordinate with the Ministry of National Defence to immediately implement the inter-ministerial coordination regulations on combating IUU fishing. The Ministry should take the lead in coordinating with ministries, sectors, and localities to immediately finalize the technical working scenarios and plans with the EC. It should also inspect and guide all localities in thoroughly preparing the content for the 5th EC inspection mission. Regular contact, exchange, and provision of complete information to the EC should be maintained.

In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Construction, will strictly control the import of seafood raw materials into Vietnam under the PSMA Agreement and via container ships, ensuring the complete prevention of IUU-caught seafood raw materials from entering the Vietnamese market. The process of completing traceability documentation and national fisheries data will be finalized and publicly announced through mass media, to be completed before November 15th.

The Ministry of National Defence, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, other ministries and agencies, and 21 coastal localities, will immediately implement the inter-ministerial coordination regulations on combating IUU fishing. The Ministry of Public Security will finalize and put into use the application for managing fishing vessels and fishermen participating in activities on VneID, to be completed before November 15, 2025. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to promote negotiations for signing cooperation agreements on marine fisheries exploitation and unify the mechanism for controlling the fishing activities of Vietnamese fishing vessels.

The Prime Minister also directed coastal provinces and cities with fishing vessels to closely monitor the situation and focus on decisively, comprehensively, and effectively leading and directing measures to combat IUU fishing in their areas, absolutely preventing violations and negative practices from affecting the overall efforts of the whole country. Maintain strict control over all fishing vessels entering and leaving ports according to regulations; resolutely prevent unqualified or unregistered fishing vessels from participating in operations. At the same time, update the list of high-risk fishing vessels for IUU fishing violations weekly according to regulations.

In particular, localities that have not yet completed the handling of outstanding administrative violations related to VMS disconnection and exceeding permitted fishing boundaries must urgently complete this before November 16, 2025; clearly hold collective and individual responsibilities accountable, including the heads of agencies and units, if they fail to complete the task. They must urgently complete the 19 ongoing tasks. They must urgently and seriously update all data to the fisheries databases. Strict penalties will be imposed on all fishing vessels that violate VMS regulations, exceed boundaries, violate foreign waters, and fail to enter ports to unload products as required.

Associations and businesses are strictly complying with the policy of not purchasing, processing, or exporting seafood products originating from IUU fishing. They are encouraging and commending exemplary members and fishermen who comply well with regulations on combating IUU fishing. They are proactively coordinating closely with relevant authorities in investigating, verifying, and thoroughly and strictly handling organizations, individuals, and seafood businesses that engage in illegal activities, abet, or condone IUU fishing.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/thu-tuong-yeu-cau-quyet-liet-chong-khai-thac-iuu-d783793.html