The People’s Court of Dong Thap province, in coordination with the provincial Military Command, Border Guard Command, Military Court of Military Zone 9, and Cong Ly (Justice) Newspaper, organised a mock trial and legal seminar in Tan Dong commune on November 5 to raise public awareness of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The mock trial focused on the offence of violating regulations on the protection of endangered, precious, and rare wildlife under Article 244 of the Penal Code.
According to the scenario, on March 27–28, 2025, fishing vessel captain Le Van T and seven crew members used gillnets at sea and caught 15 hawksbill sea turtles, of which 12 were dead. T ordered the crew to remove the organs of the dead turtles and store them in ice to bring ashore for sale. The vessel was later inspected at V fishing port, where authorities found the remains of 12 turtles.
Expert assessments confirmed the animals were hawksbill turtles, a critically endangered species. The trial panel sentenced Le Van T to 10 years in prison.
The boat owner, Nguyen Thi H, was not prosecuted as she was unaware of the illegal transport. The seven hired fishermen fled during inspection and are still being identified by authorities.
Local fishermen attending the event agreed with the verdict, saying it serves as a warning to comply with laws on marine resource protection and avoid IUU fishing practices.
The mock trial aimed to enhance legal awareness among the local community, encourage responsible fishing, and contribute to Vietnam’s efforts to combat IUU fishing, have the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted, and sustainably develop the fisheries sector./.
