With strong determination to have the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” against Vietnamese seafood lifted, the northern province of Quang Ninh has rolled out comprehensive and resolute measures to strengthen fisheries management, strictly control vessel monitoring systems (VMS), and stringently deal with violations in seafood exploitation.
As of January 11, Quang Ninh had achieved substantial progress in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. All 4,123 eligible fishing vessels in the province have completed registration and been granted fishing licences in accordance with regulations, making Quang Ninh one of four localities nationwide to finish the process ahead of schedule.
Phan Thanh Nghi, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, said the results provide an “accurate, complete and clean” database, enabling strict management of each vessel.
Fisheries data management has recorded a significant breakthrough, with 100% of eligible vessel data standardised, fully updated to the national fisheries database (Vnfishbase), and synchronised with the VNeID system, representing a 23.4% year-on-year increase. Meanwhile, the province has maintained a 100% VMS connection rate for vessels 15 metres or longer (276 vessels), and their VMS devices is also linked to the monitoring system of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
The verification and handling of violations detected via the VMS have been carried out thoroughly, covering all 230 cases identified. Notably, in 2025, authorities prosecuted three individuals for transferring VMS devices to other vessels to seek illegal gains and evade supervision, underscoring the province’s strict, no-exception approach to law enforcement at sea, Nghi noted.
Local authorities have also intensified communication efforts among fishermen, tightened vessel management, and coordinated closely with functional forces to restore order in aquaculture and fisheries exploitation, contributing to the sustainable protection of marine resources, said Chairman of the People's Committee of Dam Ha commune To Xuan Loi.
Nghi stressed that fighting against IUU fishing is not merely to meet EC requirements, but a long-term task aimed at protecting aquatic resources and restructuring the fisheries sector towards sustainability and a high sense of responsibility.
Quang Ninh is accelerating a shift from nearshore fishing to high-tech marine aquaculture and eco-tourism to ensure stable livelihoods for fishermen, he said, adding that the province is set to propose policies supporting occupational transition and subsidies for maintaining VMS devices while further decentralising vessel management to the commune level to enhance grassroots supervision.
Alongside administrative measures, Quang Ninh is strengthening resource protection through conservation planning. The Co To – Tran Island Marine Protected Area has recently been established to conserve key ecosystems and promote sustainable livelihoods. In 2025, nearly 7.4 million aquatic juveniles were released into natural waters to replenish fish stocks.
To address long-term challenges, the province has planned more than 90,000 hectares of water surface for aquaculture, prioritising occupational transition and investments with advanced technologies.
At the same time, it also acknowledges remaining shortcomings, including the low electronic catch documentation rate (52.6%) and incomplete fishing port infrastructure.
In the coming time, Quang Ninh will accelerate investment in fishing ports and storm shelters to meet regulatory standards, prepare for inspections by the EC delegation, and work towards a transparent, responsible and sustainable fisheries sector, authorities said./.