Nghe An Rolls Out Urgent Measures to Combat IUU Fishing
	Enterprises Violating IUU Regulations to Be Expelled from VASEP

According to the An Giang Department of Agriculture and Environment, by the end of December 2025 the province had made significant progress in digitalizing fishing fleet management. All existing fishing vessels (9,786 vessels) have been registered and updated on the VNFishbase system; 9,185 vessels meeting eligibility requirements have been granted operating licenses (100%). However, 788 vessels remain ineligible for registration, including 137 vessels with expired inspection certificates (currently undergoing renewal procedures) and 601 vessels with expired licenses.

Notably, 457 vessels have had their status verified but their mooring locations remain unknown. These vessels have been reported as “missing” and are undergoing procedures for deregistration. In response, under Urgent Official Dispatch No. 2416/UBND-KT, Vice Chairman of the An Giang Provincial People’s Committee Ngo Cong Thuc set specific deadlines for each force and locality.

Accordingly, communes, wards, and special administrative units must complete licensing for fishing vessels under 12 meters in length no later than January 5, 2026. The provincial police, in coordination with local authorities, are tasked with verifying the actual status of the 457 “missing” vessels, determining whether they are operating clandestinely, and reporting the results on the same day. The provincial Border Guard Command has been ordered not to allow any “three-no” fishing vessels, those without registration, inspection, or licenses, to depart.

An Giang Border Guard forces step up outreach to vessel owners and fishermen on IUU regulations. (Photo: Dan Viet Newspaper)

A key highlight of this round of directives is the “individualization of responsibility” down to each Party committee and grassroots authority. Communes, wards, and special administrative units are no longer to apply general management approaches but must accurately identify vessel owners, obtain on-site images and GPS coordinates of mooring locations, affix warning signs reading “fishing vessel not eligible for operation” on vessel hulls, and assign specific Party members and officials to monitor each vessel. These individuals will be held accountable should violations arise.

Alongside strict enforcement measures, An Giang is urgently developing a roadmap for occupational transition for fishermen. The Department of Agriculture and Environment has been assigned to lead and advise on a plan for transitioning fishing livelihoods to protect aquatic resources and the ecological environment, to be completed on January 5 for submission to the Provincial People’s Committee.

By 10:00 a.m. on January 6, all departments, sectors, and localities must finalize and submit their reports on the results of this peak campaign. At the same time, the Department of Agriculture and Environment will issue a notice listing fishing vessels 12 meters and above classified as “missing,” and circulate it to the police, border guards, and central forces (Coast Guard, Navy, and Fisheries Surveillance) for coordinated monitoring and handling during maritime patrols. The list will also be publicly posted at neighborhood and hamlet offices to enhance community oversight.

With resolute measures, clear deadlines, and individualized accountability, An Giang aims to close all management “loopholes,” prevent IUU violations at their source, contribute to national efforts to remove the “yellow card,” and move toward sustainable fisheries.

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