The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the country’s goal of having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.

Ca Mau is pressing on with drastic and comprehensive management solutions to prevent and strictly handle violations. All IUU fishing cases will be investigated, verified, sanctioned, and criminally prosecuted if there is sufficient basis.

Bac Lieu considers combating IUU fishing as an urgent, important, and long-term task to ensure the sustainable development of its fishery industry, said a provincial leader.

As part of the campaign, on April 25, the Trung Binh border post in Tran De district hosted an outreach conference attended by over 100 participants, including local fishermen, boat owners, and captains operating in the district’s coastal border region.

Since April 2024, authorities in Ca Mau province have penalised 338 cases involving 391 fishing vessels, imposing fines totalling nearly 6 billion VND (230,900 USD).

According to the Binh Thuan Department of Agriculture and Environment, the province has completed registration for all “three-no” fishing boats - vessels without registration, licences or monitoring systems - measuring six metres or more. About 2,710 such vessels have been registered, meeting 100% of the ministry’s requirements and 2,012 operational vessels have been fitted with VMS devices.

Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment Le Huu Toan said that competent agencies have been directed to identify fishing vessels operating without registration, technical safety certificates, fishing permits, and vessel monitoring system (VMS). Boats without proper documents are not allowed to set sail.

Nghe An's anti-IUU fishing efforts pay off, particularly in raising fishermen’s awareness and promoting coordination among agencies.

Strong moves have been made to handle the vessels infringing foreign waters, violating VMS rules, not entering ports for unloading as regulated, or failing to meet operational conditions.

To date, no violation of foreign waters has been reported among Ninh Thuan fleet, local authorities said.

Since the beginning of 2025, the province has reported no new violations, with nearly 2,000 required to install monitoring devices having done so.

The south central province of Binh Thuan will intensify efforts to register all fishing vessels within this year, with strict punishment to be imposed on those which intentionally avoid registration, Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Hai instructed at a meeting of the province's Steering Committee on Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing on December 16.

Authorities in the central province of Quang Ngai have handled registration procedures for 750 fishing vesels, of which 500 units have been licensed.

With a coastline stretching over 50km, the northern province of Thai Binh has implemented a range of robust measures to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Coastal localities nationwide have implemented practical and effective activities and specific measures, demonstrating their determination to join the nation’s efforts to have the “yellow card” that the European Commission (EC) has imposed on Vietnamese seafood regarding illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing lifted in 2024.

Authorities in the south-central province of Binh Thuan are intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang recorded no fishing vessels infringing foreign waters in September and October, attributable to strict law enforcement and settlement of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing cases.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has demanded that by November 20, all coastal localities must have thoroughly dealt with fishing vessels without registration, examination or licence as a critical step to battle illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The south-central province of Khanh Hoa has gained encouraging results from the pilot application of the eCDT software to track fishing vessels, including their locations and operations, helping prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is extremely important, so the European Union (EU) is supporting Vietnam by their legislation in the field, said EU Ambasasdor to Vietnam Julien Guerrier in a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency.