Deploying urgent and key tasks and solutions to remove the EC's "Yellow Card" warning

On the afternoon of August 11th, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and Head of the Provincial Steering Committee on IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) Fishing, Nguyen Quynh Thien, chaired a meeting to implement urgent and key tasks and solutions to lift the EC's "Yellow Card" warning.

The delegation conducted an on-site inspection at Binh Dai Fishing Port.

The meeting took place in person at the People's Committee of Binh Dai commune, with the participation of the Deputy Heads and Members of the Provincial Steering Committee on IUU, the Working Group of the Provincial Steering Committee on IUU, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Dai commune, and relevant functional departments at the local level; and online at the following coastal communes and wards with key fishing vessel locations: Ba Tri, Bao Thanh, Tan Thuy, Thoi Thuan, Thanh Phu, Thanh Hai, Thanh Phong, An Qui, Dai An, Dong Hai, My Long, Long Hoa, Long Duc, Truong Long Hoa, Long Huu, Long Vinh, Quoi Dien, Duyen Hai, Hoa Thuan, Vinh Kim, An Hiep, Tan Xuan, with the participation of the Chairmen of the People's Committees of the communes and wards and relevant functional departments at the local level.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and Head of the Provincial Steering Committee on IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) Fishing, Nguyen Quynh Thien, inspected the room for monitoring fishing vessel activities at sea at Binh Dai Fishing Port.

According to the report of the Provincial Steering Committee on IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) Fishing, the efforts of departments, agencies, and localities in the province in managing the fishing fleet, controlling the production of harvested aquatic products; inspecting and controlling fishing vessels and crew members; enforcing laws and handling administrative violations; and verifying, certifying production and tracing the origin of harvested aquatic products remain. However, there are still some shortcomings and limitations, mainly such as: The percentage of vessels registered and granted fishing licenses has not reached 100% as required by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MARD). The situation of vessels losing surveillance signals while operating at sea still occurs frequently…

At the meeting, leaders of coastal communes and wards, key fishing hubs, clarified the results of the fight against IUU fishing in the first seven months of 2025; and discussed tasks and solutions for combating IUU fishing in the remaining months of 2025. They also made numerous suggestions and proposals to improve the effectiveness of the fight against IUU fishing. The relevant departments and agencies also clarified several issues to address the difficulties and obstacles raised by the coastal communes and wards, key fishing hubs.

Speaking at the meeting, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and Head of the Provincial Steering Committee on IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) Fishing, Nguyen Quynh Thien, stated that after the merger, Vinh Long has great potential in the fisheries sector. In particular, the fisheries exploitation sector, with a fleet of 2,263 offshore fishing vessels, accounting for 48.6% of the province's total fishing fleet, ranks third in the Southern region. Annual fisheries production reaches 250,000 tons, creating over 23,000 direct jobs at sea and thousands of supporting service workers on shore.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and Head of the Provincial Steering Committee on IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) Fishing, Nguyen Quynh Thien, delivered a directive speech at the meeting.

The fishing output in the first seven months of 2025 reached 72% of the 2025 plan. From 2024 to the present, fishermen have strictly complied with the law in their fishing activities. Notably, there have been no vessels violating foreign waters and being seized or prosecuted by authorities; and no vessels have been found fishing beyond maritime boundaries.

To maintain the achievements of the past period, while resolutely overcoming existing shortcomings and limitations, and to best prepare for the working sessions with the EC's IUU Inspection Team, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - Nguyen Quynh Thien requested that departments, agencies, and the People's Committees of communes and wards focus on implementing key tasks in the coming period. In particular, he emphasized coordination in disseminating information and mobilizing ship owners to register and obtain fishing vessel licenses, achieving the target set by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (100%); and definitively resolving the issue of the 115 "three-no" vessels currently operating in the province.

Implement a concentrated campaign of patrols, inspections, and enforcement against fishing vessels lacking the necessary permits, vessels not meeting operating requirements, and vessels violating IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing practices, especially in river mouths and coastal areas of the province, focusing on completing this decisively before August 30, 2025. Apply technical and operational measures, including VNeID, to monitor, control, detect, prevent, and promptly handle, right from shore, cases involving vessel owners, captains, brokers, and those facilitating the illegal trafficking of fishing vessels and fishermen into foreign waters, and the removal and disposal of VMS (Vehicle Monitoring System) equipment.

Review and urgently investigate, collect files, documents, and evidence to prosecute organizations and individuals who seriously violate IUU fishing regulations, completing this before August 30, 2025. If there is insufficient evidence for criminal prosecution, transfer the files to the relevant authorities for administrative handling in accordance with the law, completing this before August 20, 2025, as requested by the Prime Minister .

Delegates participate and give their opinions at the Binh Dai location.

Allocate and distribute state budget funds to departments, agencies, and localities to carry out tasks related to combating IUU fishing. In particular, focus on patrolling, inspecting, controlling, and enforcing laws in maritime areas to prevent and handle fishing vessels and fishermen violating foreign waters…

“The Department of Agriculture and Environment – the Standing Agency of the Provincial Steering Committee on IUU – will assist the Steering Committee in inspecting, monitoring, and evaluating the implementation results as a basis for proposing disciplinary actions against organizations and individuals who fail to fulfill their duties as prescribed,” proposed Nguyen Quynh Thien, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and Head of the Provincial Steering Committee on IUU.

Text and photos: TRAN QUOC

Source: https://baovinhlong.com.vn/kinh-te/202508/trien-khai-cac-nhiem-vu-giai-phap-cap-bach-trong-tam-go-canh-bao-the-vang-cua-ec-6263808/