Vietnam Ready to Cooperate and Share Experience with International Partners in Combating IUU Fishing
	An Giang Border Guard Tightens Management of Fishing Vessels

Attending and working with the delegation were Cao Van Cuong, Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, along with representatives of relevant departments, agencies, law enforcement forces, and coastal localities of the province.

Cao Van Cuong, Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, receives and works with the delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. (Photo: Baothanhhoa)

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Thanh Hoa Province currently has 6,243 fishing vessels, of which all 1,014 offshore fishing boats have been equipped with vessel monitoring systems (VMS), reaching 100%.

Since the beginning of 2025, the province’s total seafood catch has reached over 117,515 tons, equivalent to 83.9% of the year’s plan.

Thanh Hoa has achieved significant progress in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. All fishing vessels have been fully registered, licensed, marked with identification numbers, and entered into the National Fisheries Database (Vnfishbase). The province has reported no cases of fishing vessels violating foreign waters.

The rates of vessel registration, issuance of technical safety certificates, and food safety eligibility certificates have reached 96.4% to 98.7%. The province has four officially designated fishing ports, Hoa Loc, Lach Hoi, Lang Bang, and Hai Chau, three of which meet the requirements for verification and certification of seafood origin. Since the beginning of the year, approximately 24,139 tons of seafood have been unloaded through these ports, and 31 certificates of origin have been issued.

The management and monitoring of fishing vessels, voyage tracking, and violation handling have been strengthened, contributing to deterrence and prevention of illegal activities. From early 2025 to November 5, a total of 217 violation cases were detected and fined, with total penalties amounting to more than VND 2.91 billion. All sanctioned vessels have been updated in the fisheries database.

Leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Environment report on the province’s efforts to combat IUU fishing (Photo: Baothanhhoa)

However, the province’s efforts to combat IUU fishing still face certain challenges. Specifically, 81 fishing vessels remain ineligible for operation; cases of vessels losing VMS connection at sea beyond the permitted duration continue to occur. The inspection, control, and supervision of seafood output through fishing ports remain limited. In addition, the scale and number of designated ports are insufficient to accommodate all local vessels for loading and unloading activities. While fisheries infrastructure has been invested in, it remains inconsistent and has yet to fully meet the recommendations of the European Commission (EC).

Speaking at the working session, Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee Cao Van Cuong said that in recent years, the province has mobilized the entire political system to actively implement measures to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

He requested the Department of Agriculture and Environment to promptly establish a task force to coordinate with relevant localities and agencies in reviewing and resolving all pending cases related to VMS disconnection by November 15, 2025. Local authorities were urged to strengthen the management of seafood output through fishing ports and landing sites under their jurisdiction and to submit monthly reports for updates to the National Fisheries Database.

The Vice Chairman also called on the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to accelerate the development of software and upgrade the fisheries vessel monitoring system to ensure synchronization among the border guard, police, and agricultural sectors, thereby improving control over fishing vessels and catch volumes. He further requested the Ministry to expedite the implementation of the Lach Hoi Fishing Port and Storm Shelter Upgrade Project, as well as the Lach Bang Fishing Port Upgrade Project, both of which are invested in by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

Concluding the working session, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien emphasized that Thanh Hoa is among the provinces with a well-developed agricultural sector, making significant contributions to the province's and the country's socio-economic development. He acknowledged the province’s considerable efforts in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which have resulted in positive changes; however, several aspects still fall short of meeting the European Commission’s (EC) recommendations.

The Deputy Minister requested the province to direct commune- and ward-level authorities to tighten control over the fishing fleet, ensuring that all vessels are properly licensed and that VMS devices remain operational at all times. He also stressed the need to strengthen verification and certification procedures for seafood origin at fishing ports.

He requested the province to review and promptly complete documentation to report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment for the announcement of additional fishing ports, thereby facilitating offshore vessels’ entry and exit, as well as ensuring eligibility for the verification of the origin of exploited seafood.

The Deputy Minister stressed that the province must fully prepare dossiers and evidence to serve the upcoming inspection mission of the European Commission (EC), demonstrating its strong commitment to joining the nation’s efforts to have the IUU “yellow card” removed. He emphasized that this should be considered a key and regular political task, and asked the province to promptly report any difficulties or obstacles to the Ministry for timely support and resolution.

Nghe An Urgently Launches Action Plan for Peak Month Against IUU Fishing Following the directives of the Secretariat, the Prime Minister, and Official Telegram No. 198/CĐ-TTg dated October 17, 2025, the Party Committee and the People’s Committee ...

Ninh Binh Implements Comprehensive Measures to Control Fishing Vessels and Prevent IUU Fishing In accordance with the directives of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment during the peak month of combating illegal, unreported, and ...