Coordinating to Effectively Implement the Peak Campaign Against IUU Fishing
	Quang Ngai Steps Up Measures to Combat IUU Fishing

According to the directive, the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the provincial Border Guard Command, and local authorities in communes and wards with fishing vessels must strengthen management from the source and resolutely prevent cases of fishing vessels and fishermen violating foreign waters.

The province currently has nine fishing vessels that do not meet licensing conditions and 29 vessels with expired registrations. These vessels must be reviewed, and owners must be guided in completing necessary documentation should they wish to go to sea. For the 47 vessels that are ineligible for operation, the People’s Committee requires compiling detailed lists, photographing their current condition, identifying their mooring locations, and publicly posting this information within the community. Commune-level authorities must assign officers to conduct weekly monitoring, seal the vessels, and remove fishing gear to prevent illicit fishing activities.

For the 381 vessels that have had their registrations cancelled, relevant professional agencies are responsible for inspecting and verifying their dismantling status to ensure they are no longer engaged in fisheries activities.

Functional forces disseminate information on combating IUU fishing to fishermen. (Photo: VNA)

The province also requires strengthened inspection of vessel marking and proper registration numbering; strict monitoring of vessels entering and leaving ports; and supervision of catch volumes through ports to meet the critical requirements set by the EC.

The People’s Committee emphasizes strict control of all activities at fishing ports: 100% of vessels measuring six meters or longer, especially those 15 meters or longer, must comply with port-entry and port-exit procedures; all seafood unloading must take place at the port. Catches must be fully recorded in the management software, and violations involving fraud or links to IUU fishing must be strictly handled.

The province continues to implement the electronic catch documentation and traceability system (eCDT) for all vessels 15 meters or longer, while preparing a roadmap for mandatory application for vessels measuring six meters or longer for port-entry and port-exit declarations.

Departments and sectors are required to strengthen guidance for vessel owners, ensuring that 100% of harvested aquatic products have transparent traceability that meets EU standards. Functional forces must focus on investigating, verifying, and thoroughly resolving cases involving vessels losing connection to their vessel monitoring system (VMS) or crossing boundaries while fishing at sea. Penalties must be applied strictly and based fully on legal grounds; cases left unresolved will result in accountability review.

The Ninh Binh Provincial People’s Committee also requests that relevant units review the operational conditions of fishing ports in order to declare port openings in accordance with regulations.

In addition, the province continues to implement the EC’s recommendations and follow directives from the Party Secretariat, the Government, and the Prime Minister in its effort to soon have the IUU “yellow card” warning removed, thereby safeguarding the reputation and export interests of Vietnam’s fisheries sector.

The provincial People’s Committee affirms that any organization or individual showing negligence or failing to fulfill assigned duties leading to violations will be strictly handled, as such failures directly impact the country’s overall effort to remove the “yellow card.”

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