Nghe An Rolls Out Urgent Measures to Combat IUU Fishing

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Tightened Management from Fishing Vessels to Data and Traceability

According to the Nghe An Provincial Web Portal, the People’s Committee of Nghe An has recently issued an official dispatch on the implementation of several urgent and key tasks to combat IUU fishing, in line with directives from the Prime Minister and the Standing Board of the Provincial Party Committee.

In the document, the Chairman of the Nghe An People’s Committee assigned the Department of Agriculture and Environment to take the lead, in coordination with the provincial Border Guard Command and local authorities, in conducting a comprehensive review of IUU fishing prevention and control across the province. Reported data must be unified, truthful, and accurate, supported by visual evidence. Daily, data on fishing vessels entering and leaving ports must be cross-checked between border guard forces and fishing ports, with any discrepancies promptly identified, clarified, and rectified.

A mock trial on combating IUU fishing in Nghe An, December 29, 2025. (Photo: Nhan Dan Newspaper)

The province will continue to strictly enforce regulations on the registration and licensing of fishing vessels; closely control vessels that do not meet operational requirements; and strengthen monitoring of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, departing from and returning to landing sites, as well as the volume of seafood landed at ports, including privately operated ports.

In particular, Nghe An has requested a comprehensive review, inquiry, and public disclosure of the full list of so-called “three-no” fishing vessels, those lacking registration, inspection certificates, and operating licenses, on the national fisheries database. Vessels must be clearly categorized, distinguishing those that are ineligible for operation from those whose registrations have been revoked, along with the specific reasons for deregistration. Management must be carried out down to each individual vessel, with full information on vessel owners, operational status, mooring locations, and visual records. Lists of deregistered vessels must be publicly disclosed to enable law-enforcement forces to identify and monitor them at sea.

Resolute Action To Prevent Violations From Offshore Waters To The Grassroots Level

The provincial People’s Committee has assigned the Provincial Border Guard Command to definitively address cases of vessel monitoring system (VMS) signal loss and fishing activities exceeding permitted boundaries, and to ensure that no fishing vessels from Nghe An are allowed to violate foreign waters. Border guard posts and stations are required to maintain strict patrols and controls, preventing “three-no” vessels, deregistered vessels or those that fail to meet operational requirements from departing or entering fishing channels. Units will be held accountable if such vessels are allowed to operate at sea.

The provincial police have been tasked with leading the review and updating of fishermen’s data on the VNeID system; promptly verifying cases in which fishermen lose contact, fail to return on schedule, or are deemed at high risk of committing IUU violations; and coordinating inspections to detect and strictly handle related violations.

The Department of Justice has been assigned to conduct a comprehensive review of all closed case files involving VMS signal loss, ensuring full legal compliance, sufficient evidence, and proper procedures, and to report the results to the provincial People’s Committee by January 10, 2026.

The provincial People’s Committee has also instructed the Department of Industry and Trade, the provincial Tax Department, and the Regional Customs Branch XI to coordinate a review of seafood enterprises exporting to the EU, requiring businesses to conduct self-assessments of all raw material sources, documentation, and relevant certifications. Any cases involving false declarations or the falsification of records will be handled strictly. Review results must be reported to the provincial People’s Committee by December 31, 2025.

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with the provincial press and radio–television agencies, will continue to step up communications efforts to ensure official, accurate, and timely information on IUU prevention and control, avoiding coverage that could adversely affect efforts to have the European Commission’s “yellow card” lifted.

The provincial People’s Committee has called on the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Committee of the province to strengthen its supervisory role and mobilize the public to participate in preventing, detecting, and reporting IUU violations; promptly commend effective models and localities, while recommending corrective measures for areas where management has been lax.

Chairpersons of coastal communes and wards are required to maintain a thorough grasp of the status of fishing vessels and fishermen in their localities, and will bear direct responsibility if “three-no” vessels or vessels unqualified for operation are not properly managed and supervised. Each non-compliant vessel must have a complete file, including images and clear information on ownership, operational status, and mooring location.

Local authorities are also instructed to intensify public awareness campaigns and strictly enforce ownership transfer procedures in the sale and purchase of fishing vessels. At the same time, they are to launch a mass movement encouraging public participation in detecting, preventing, and condemning IUU violations, viewing this as a political task closely tied to national credibility and reputation.

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