An officer of Phuoc Tinh Border Guard Station checks the vessel monitoring system on a local fishing boat. (Photo: VNA)  

Vietnam’s southern coastal provinces are intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, with authorities eliminating unlicensed vessels and enforcing strict oversight of offshore fleets as the country seeks to have the European Commission’s “yellow card” lifted.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, all “three-no's” fishing boats that lack proper registration, fishing licences, and inspection certificates have been phased out in most of the coastal localities. Additionally, vessel data have been updated in the national fisheries database.

In Ho Chi Minh City’s Long Hai commune, more than 1,400 fishing vessels have been brought under control, with boats from 15 metres signing commitments not to encroach into foreign waters. Local authorities conduct regular inspections and prevent non-compliant vessels from departing port.

In Dong Thap province, fishermen now strictly comply with monitoring rules and anti-IUU regulations as well as avoid foreign waters.

From the outset of the year, the locality has imposed administrative penalties for 27 violations, totalling nearly 1.5 billion VND (approximately 57,000 USD). Local authorities have maintained comprehensive oversight through an updated vessel database and strict port control.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien acknowledged positive changes in the localities, urging provinces to upgrade port infrastructure and strengthen traceability to build a more responsible and sustainable fisheries sector./.