Efforts made to complete EC’s recommendations on IUU combat

The move is part of the locality’s efforts to fight illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing following the European Commission (EC) recommendations, aiming to lift the “yellow card” warning against Vietnam’s seafood exports and ensure the sustainable development of the fisheries sector.

As scheduled, the EC will conduct its fifth IUU fishing inspection in December. This inspection will focus on five key areas of legal mechanisms, vessel management, monitoring of fishing activities, seafood traceability, and law enforcement.

At local fishing ports, authorities have checked on fishing permits, the safety equipment on vessels, and the operational status of Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS), which are crucial in tracking fishing activity.

Lieutenant Colonel Lam Van Vien, head of the Sa Ky Border Post in Binh Son district, emphasised that the authorities are closely monitoring high-risk vessels for IUU violations, and apply strict punishments on boats committing violations.

Border guards have been refusing to allow boats to depart unless they meet the required paperwork and equipment standards.

In addition to enforcing legal measures, local authorities have launched educational campaigns, urging fishermen to comply with IUU regulations and sign commitments to follow the rules, said Vien.

Lieutenant Colonel Phan Xuan Hue, deputy head of the Binh Thanh border guard station in Binh Son district, noted that awareness raising activities had been successful, with fishermen showing greater responsibility in following the fishing regulations.

The authorities are also working to register all boats in Quang Ngai province that are not yet in compliance with the regulations.

Pham Thi Huong, Chairwoman of the Ly Son district People’s Committee, said there are over 200 boats in the district that must be registered. Local authorities have made efforts to ensure full compliance. By the end of 2024, the province aims to have all boats registered.

According to Director of Quang Ngai's Fisheries Sub-Department Nguyen Van Muoi, by the end of November, the department has issued new permits to 3,511 fishing boats, accounting for 74.4% of the local fleet. Furthermore, 98.8% of boats measuring 15 metres or more have been equipped with vessel mornitoring system (VMS). The province has handled 650 cases of boats losing their VMS connection for over 10 days, imposing fines of 225 million VND (8,867 USD) on nine vessels. Additionally, 47 cases of boats fishing in prohibited areas have been penalised.

The EC inspection team will focus on these enforcement actions, especially in cases of lost VMS connections, therefore, the locality will roll out all measures to ensure all vessels are supervised, said Muoi.

Meanwhile, the Border Guard Command of the southern province of Soc Trang launched a year-long campaign on December 5 to tackle IUU fishing. This campaign aims to run from December 2024 to December 2025, with a focus on the rigorous enforcement of IUU regulations. The Border Guard, working alongside local authorities, will monitor all vessels departing and arriving at ports, ensuring that they meet registration and VMS requirements.

Colonel Nguyen Triu Men, Political Commissar of the Soc Trang Border Guard, highlighted the importance of these measures in eliminating IUU fishing and addressing the EC's “yellow card” warning. The authorities are committed to preventing local vessels from engaging in illegal fishing activities in foreign waters.

The Soc Trang Border Guard also plans to promote the use of local safety committees and improve collaboration with fisheries agencies to ensure comprehensive monitoring of seafood traceability and compliance with IUU regulations. As part of its efforts to strengthen its operations, the Border Guard will continue to focus on effective patrols, detection, and the prosecution of offenders.

In 2024, the Soc Trang Border Guard successfully tackled numerous issues in managing the region’s coastline, safeguarding its maritime sovereignty, and improving border security. Moving into 2025, the force will continue to combat IUU fishing and take additional measures to ensure the security and sustainability of local fisheries./.