European Commission Affirms Commitment to Support Vietnam in Developing Green And Sustainable Seafood
	Combating IUU Fishing Must Be Drastic, Synchronous, Comprehensive, Timely and Effective

Ca Mau province has made notable progress in implementing measures to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing through enhanced communication efforts. Since the beginning of the year, approximately 8,000 news articles, reports, and text messages have been disseminated. In addition, over 1,200 fishermen have signed commitments not to violate the law, leading to a marked improvement in legal compliance awareness.

Following the directives of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to intensify the fight against IUU fishing, Ca Mau has recently implemented a range of coordinated measures to strictly manage the fishing fleet, ensure traceability, and rigorously address violations.

Concurrently, the province has effectively enforced coordination regulations with coastal provinces and relevant authorities to oversee fishing vessels operating beyond provincial waters, as well as those from other provinces operating within Ca Mau. It has also established channels for information sharing among localities to promptly detect and address IUU fishing violations, and regularly conducts inspections in key fishing areas to monitor anti-IUU efforts.

The grassroots radio system in Ca Mau province broadcasts anti-IUU fishing messages twice daily. These varied communication efforts have played a key role in raising awareness, helping fishermen better understand their responsibilities and the consequences of violations.

Unloading seafood from an offshore fishing vessel at Binh Chau fishing port, Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: Hoang Nhi/VNA)

Fisherman Bui Van Dung from Dat Mui commune, one of those who signed the commitment, shared: “Every time the boat goes out to sea, it must have complete documents. I comply with the requirements of the functional sector to join hands with the whole country to remove the yellow card. Only then can fishermen feel secure in their livelihood at sea.”

Dang Quoc Thuy, a fishing boat owner in Ganh Hao commune, noted that fishermen are now well aware that fishing in foreign waters is a legal violation that negatively impacts the entire national fisheries sector.

He added that authorities have intensified outreach efforts by installing billboards, posters, and distributing legal leaflets to help boat owners and fishermen at sea better understand the law, thereby contributing to the shared goal of lifting the yellow card warning for Vietnam’s fisheries industry.

At fishing ports across Ca Mau province, authorities maintain round-the-clock operations to strictly monitor vessel movements, verify crew lists, and check VMS devices before departure. Any vessel with incomplete fishing data or a disrupted VMS connection is required to resolve the issue immediately.

Ca Mau province is prioritizing the thorough resolution of past violations while enhancing post-inspection procedures for certifying the origin of aquatic products - an essential requirement for exports to the European Union.

According to Le Van Su, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee, the province has identified and addressed over 470 administrative violations in the aquatic sector, amounting to more than 10 billion VND in penalties, including 43 cases involving VMS disconnection. All violations have been recorded in management software to ensure transparent oversight.

Efforts to trace the origin of aquatic products have also been effectively implemented. All vessels measuring 15 meters or more now submit electronic declarations via the eCDT system upon departure and arrival at ports. Confirmation (SC) and certification (CC) records are issued in full compliance with regulations, without errors requiring clarification. To date, 805 CC certificates have been issued, covering more than 11,400 tons of aquatic products, with over 7,880 tons exported to the EU.

Le Van Su emphasized that Ca Mau considers the fight against IUU fishing a critical and long-term political mission. Moving forward, the province will continue to review, trace, address, and digitize data for all vessels in violation, high-risk vessels, and those pending transfer procedures to other provinces. This includes guiding and supporting license renewals, ensuring proper sales procedures, completing identification updates for remaining vessels, and accurately integrating data into the National Fisheries Database (VNFishbase) and the national population database (VNeID). Ca Mau is also preparing comprehensive documentation, data, and evidence in anticipation of working with the 5th EC Inspection Delegation.

Recently, at a working session with the Provincial Party Committee and the Border Guard Command to hear reports on the operation situation after the establishment of the Command Committee under the Provincial Military Command and the coordination work in preventing and combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the province's Party Secretary Nguyen Ho Hai requested that IUU fishing violations absolutely not occur.

Ca Mau Party Secretary Nguyen Ho Hai requested that IUU fishing violations absolutely not occur, especially in foreign waters, and at the same time coordinate with other forces to resolutely remove the "yellow card" of the EC.

With the proactive spirit and the resolute participation of the entire political system, the consensus of fishermen and businesses, Ca Mau is gradually strengthening trust with the EC, aiming to soon remove the "yellow card", helping fishermen maintain and make a living from their profession and build an image of a modern, responsible and sustainable Vietnamese fishing industry.

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