The central province of Quang Tri has eliminated all “three-no's” fishing vessels, those without registration, inspection, or fishing licenses, as part of its efforts to remove the “yellow card” warning imposed on Vietnam's seafood exports by the European Commission (EC).
According to the provincial Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance Sub-department, Quang Tri now has 4,664 fishing vessels measuring six metres or longer. All have been registered, with nearly 98% licensed and 98.7% equipped with vessel monitoring systems (VMS). No local boats have been caught fishing illegally in foreign waters.
The province has intensified awareness campaigns and inspections to prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing violations. Regular patrols and direct communication with fishermen at ports and anchorage areas have significantly improved compliance. Since early this year, authorities have conducted 23 patrols, inspected 316 vessels, provided on-site education to 430 crews, and imposed fines totaling nearly 2 billion VND (76,000 USD) on 43 violators.
Fishermen now better understand the legal boundaries of Vietnamese waters and the risks of IUU practices.
At present, all fishing ports in the province have achieved full monitoring and documentation of seafood landings. Authorities are also reviewing vessel data to ensure all boats report to designated ports as required by law.
However, challenges remain. Some local agencies have yet to address expired fishing licenses and vessel safety certificates. Technical issues with the Thuraya T3 satellite system have disrupted VMS signals, while inadequate port infrastructure limits docking capacity.
To strengthen enforcement, the provincial Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance Sub-department plans to enhance patrol coordination, especially targeting violations related to VMS, fishing zones, and illegal fishing methods. The agency has proposed adding two new patrol boats and clearer penalty regulations for vessels failing to use electronic traceability systems.
Vice Chairman of the Quang Tri People’s Committee Hoang Nam has recently inspected IUU prevention efforts and urged the Department of Agriculture and Environment to set up a hotline for fishermen, provide timely guidance, and intensify communication on legal fishing practices.
He also directed local authorities to swiftly resolve obstacles, strictly enforce IUU regulations, and maintain recent progress to help Vietnam lift the EC’s “yellow card” warning in the near future./.
