Widely disseminate and strictly handle violations of IUU fishing

The units also focused on promoting propaganda, patrolling, controlling, detecting, and strictly handling cases of fishing vessels and fishermen violating the law.

Officers and soldiers of Tam Quan Nam Border Guard Station propagate the law to fishermen. **Photo: Cong Cuong**

Implementing the direction of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee on combating illegal fishing in foreign waters, the Provincial Party Committee and Border Guard Command have simultaneously deployed measures and directed border posts to develop plans for patrolling and controlling, combined with propaganda and mobilization. Accordingly, the Provincial Border Guard coordinates with all levels and sectors to implement the policies and directives of the Central and Provincial Party Committee on combating illegal fishing in foreign waters. At the same time, direct units to immediately overcome shortcomings and limitations in propaganda and handling in combating IUU fishing. In cases where fishing vessels repeatedly violate, fishing vessel owners have many violating vessels or have vessels that re-offend, confiscate the means, coordinate with the police and the prosecutor's office to criminally prosecute the vessel owner and captain in accordance with the provisions of law.

According to Colonel Tran Tien Hai - Deputy Commander of the Provincial Military Command, concurrently Commander of the Provincial Border Guard Command, the unit assigned professional officers to work with functional forces to synchronously and resolutely carry out the tasks. Both propagandizing and mobilizing, combining monitoring, controlling, preventing and handling promptly right from the time the ship leaves the port. Deploying professional measures to comprehensively and in-depth grasp the situation of fishing vessels operating in the sea areas, promoting the effectiveness of the operations of the secret force at sea; exploiting and using the system of technical means, communication monitoring equipment, and VMS warning equipment. Thereby, detecting and promptly handling violations, especially the number of fishing vessels crossing the border with signs of illegally exploiting seafood in foreign waters, and fishing vessels violating VMS regulations.

In the first 6 months of 2025, based on the announcement of the Department of Fisheries and direct detection through the exploitation of data from the software of the fishing vessel journey monitoring system, units in the Provincial Border Guard discovered and handled 40 cases/40 subjects over 3 billion VND for the act of taking fishing vessels beyond the boundary of the free fishing zone in Vietnam's waters; 25 cases/26 subjects over 200 million VND, regarding acts related to VMS regulations and acts related to diplomas, certificates, fishing vessel crew registers, etc.

Officers and soldiers of Nhon Chau Border Guard Station patrol to protect the coastal border area. **Photo: Cong Cuong**

In an effort to prevent IUU fishing, Tam Quan Nam Border Guard Station has been playing a key role in controlling, propagating, and accompanying fishermen to strictly comply with legal regulations; coordinating with local authorities to organize mobile propaganda, distribute leaflets, posters, QR codes, and directly instruct fishermen to comply with regulations on marking vessels, installing voyage monitoring devices, and keeping logs.

exploitation; strengthen control of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, resolutely and strictly handle violations. This is not only a management requirement, but also a responsibility in the effort to remove the European Commission's "yellow card" for Vietnamese seafood. Mr. Vo Thanh The, Hoai Nhon Bac ward, said: We have been repeatedly propagandized by Border Guard officers about the IUU issue. To exploit effectively, we must rely on experience at sea, fishing gear, and absolutely must not illegally fish in foreign waters. We also understand our responsibility, join hands with the government, to remove the "yellow card".

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Duong, Head of Cat Khanh Border Guard Station, said: We maintain strict inspection and control of fishing vessels, especially fishing vessels on the list of high-risk IUU fishing vessels. Absolutely do not allow departure for vessels that are not qualified to go fishing. "Wide and deep propaganda", "Tight management", "Strengthening inspection", "Strict handling" are the "formulas" that Cat Khanh Border Guard Station persistently implements to end the illegal IUU fishing situation, contributing to the whole country removing the "yellow card" for fisheries. On each trip to sea, fishermen strictly comply with the law, not only ensuring a livelihood for their families, but also demonstrating their responsibility to preserve the national image at sea, for a sustainable development of the fishing industry.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/tuyen-truyen-sau-rong-xu-ly-nghiem-vi-pham-khai-thac-iuu-post563820.html