Bountiful Tuna Season Coupled with Tightened IUU Controls: Khanh Hoa Begins the New Year with Sustainable Fishing

	Border Guard High Command Inspects IUU Fishing Combat in Ho Chi Minh City
	Dong Thap Intensifies Inspections to Combat IUU Fishing

From the early hours of the first days of spring, a bustling atmosphere has filled the fishing ports of Hon Ro (Nam Nha Trang Ward), Dong Hai (Dong Hai Ward), and My Tan (Vinh Hai Commune). Fishing vessels lined up to dock after long days at sea, their holds packed with ocean tuna and various other seafood.

According to the Management Board of Hon Ro Fishing Port, the average catch per vessel during the first trips of the year ranged from 2.5 to over 3 tons of ocean tuna, with some vessels recording even higher yields. Purchase prices at the port fluctuated between VND 110,000 and 112,000 per kilogram, depending on quality. A stable consumption market has given fishermen confidence to continue offshore fishing and reinvest in subsequent voyages.

Weather conditions after the Lunar New Year have been relatively favorable, with calm seas enabling fishermen to increase the number of trips. Many vessel owners have taken the opportunity to inspect and maintain engines, replenish fishing gear, and prepare sufficient fuel and ice for the upcoming peak season of pelagic fish in the coming months. Crew members’ incomes from each voyage have been secured, generating an optimistic spirit for the new production year.

Vessels prepare to set sail at Hon Ro Port in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province. (Photo: VNA)

However, alongside the vibrant pace of fishing activities, efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing have continued to be strengthened. At fishing ports, strict controls over vessel departures and arrivals have been enforced; all unloaded catches are monitored and cross-checked against fishing logbooks prior to certification.

According to the Khanh Hoa Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, 100 percent of fishing vessels measuring 15 meters or longer have installed vessel monitoring systems (VMS). Voyage data are regularly monitored to promptly detect and address violations of designated fishing zones. The recording of fishing logbooks has been subject to stricter inspections, while the gradual adoption of electronic logbooks (eLogbook) has been implemented to ensure transparency of information.

Seafood traceability has been carried out through the eCDT system; product documentation is certified only when complete information on the fishing vessel, fishing grounds, output, and harvesting time is provided. Coastal localities have also intensified the review and updating of fishing vessel data on the VNFishbase system in connection with the national population database, ensuring that vessel owners’ information, identification numbers, and contact addresses are accurate and synchronized.

The province currently has more than 600 vessels specializing in ocean tuna fishing, with annual output reaching tens of thousands of tons. The tuna longline fishery has formed a value chain linking harvesting, purchasing, processing, and export, making a significant contribution to the local marine economy. Tightening IUU controls is aimed not only at rectifying fishing activities but also at laying a foundation for the stable development of the fishery sector in line with international market requirements.

The fully loaded holds from early spring voyages have brought income to fishermen and reflected a clear shift in mindset: marine economic development must go hand in hand with legal compliance and international responsibility. With a strong commitment to closely managing the fleet, strictly controlling fishing activities, and ensuring product traceability, Khánh Hòa is beginning the new year on a sustainable path for its fisheries sector.

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