Can Tho Boosts Coordinated Communication to Stop IUU Fishing
	Prevention of IUU Fishing: Violation Resolution and Honest Reporting

Grasping the situation to promote communication and mobilization

Tra Cau and Duc Pho wards are endowed by nature with a coastline of 14.185 km, enabling the local fishing industry to develop strongly. At present, there are 604 fishing vessels with more than 7,000 laborers operating at sea, including 375 vessels with a length of 15 meters or more. In the course of fishing, most fishermen have clearly recognized and complied with regulations issued by authorities at all levels and functional forces to join efforts to remove the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning on Vietnam’s fisheries sector. However, there remain some vessel owners and laborers who, for short-term benefits, have committed IUU-related violations.

Officers of Pho Quang Border Guard Station regularly work closely with fishermen to firmly grasp the situation and conduct communication on the prevention and combat of IUU fishing (Photo: Duc Tu/Border Guard Newspaper)

Identifying fishermen not only as the direct force exploiting marine resources but also as the “eyes and ears” in detecting and preventing violations in fisheries exploitation, Pho Quang Border Guard Station has implemented many solutions, coordinating with local authorities and the My A Fishing Port Management Board to conduct communication and mobilization, and organizing 100% of vessel owners and captains to sign commitments not to engage in IUU fishing.

Although My A fishing port had sunk into the night along with the distant sound of waves, in the wheelhouse, Nguyen Thanh Son (49 years old, residing in Hai Tan residential group, Tra Cau ward, Quang Ngai province, owner of vessel QNg94857TS) had not left his boat and was still discussing the situation with officers of the My A Border Guard Control Station under Pho Quang Border Guard Station. At the same time, they checked and compared the logbooks recording his vessel’s fishing activities over the past 30 days at sea. This task has become a habit for Son and a responsibility of every fisherman.

Nguyen Thanh Son shared: “At first, we felt that reporting during fishing activities was unnecessary and only made things difficult for fishermen. But after fully understanding the communication provided by the border guard officers, we realized the importance of this work. From then on, we reminded one another to strictly implement it so that the fish and shrimp we catch can be exported to many countries around the world, contributing to the sustainable development of the fisheries sector.”

Grasping fishermen’s situations during production at sea is a very difficult task for the Border Guard for many reasons, such as limited technological equipment to support operations; monitoring devices on fishing vessels frequently experiencing connection failures; some vessels operating outside the locality and rarely returning; and a segment of fishermen with limited awareness and insufficient consciousness in complying with the law.

Facing these difficulties, the party committee and command of Pho Quang Border Guard Station have proposed many solutions, focusing on building solidarity among fishermen so that they can jointly monitor, supervise, and encourage one another to effectively implement IUU prevention and control. Since early 2025, the unit has conducted 16 communication and mobilization sessions for 1,485 participants; presented 150 national flags and 70 portraits of President Ho Chi Minh; distributed 1,050 leaflets and brochures; and organized the installation of vessel monitoring systems for 375 fishing vessels with a length of 15 meters or more, achieving a 100% rate.

Creating a positive impact in combating IUU fishing

One of the key factors behind the success of Pho Quang Border Guard Station is mobilizing fishermen to participate in monitoring, detecting, and reporting violations during production at sea, as well as communicating and reminding fellow fishermen to strictly comply with legal regulations to avoid IUU violations.

Along with this, the station has focused on consolidating and effectively maintaining the operation of 15 self-managed fishing vessel groups at sea with 1,475 members operating 215 fishing vessels. These members have promptly provided information on the situation at sea for the unit to grasp, directly handling cases or advising higher levels to effectively address incidents. In 2025, based on information provided by fishermen, the unit detected, investigated, and handled three cases involving three vessel owners who violated regulations in the fisheries sector and national border management and protection, with fines totaling 6.5 million VND; and detected, investigated, and advised the Quang Ngai Provincial Border Guard Command to issue a sanctioning decision against one case involving one fishing vessel with a fine of 130 million VND.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with the self-managed fishing vessel groups at sea, the Pho Quang “Purse Seine Solidarity Group” model, comprising 15 groups with more than 1,870 members operating 170 vessels, has for many years been a bright spot in terms of solidarity, mutual assistance, and support during labor and production at sea, as well as compliance with regulations on combating IUU fishing.

Fisherman Nguyen Mat, 53 years old, owner of vessel QNg94536TS, shared: “Before heading offshore, vessels in our group always remind one another to check the vessel monitoring equipment, and when returning to port, to submit fishing logbooks in accordance with regulations. During production, we regularly encourage each other to properly implement IUU prevention; not allowing the monitoring equipment signal to be lost while fishing at sea. We believe that complying with the law contributes to protecting aquatic resources in the long term.”

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