Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has urged the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to ensure synchronous data connectivity in key management tools, as well as to boost inspections meant to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The deputy premier issued the instructions while chairing the 12th meeting of the National Steering Committee for IUU Fishing Prevention and Control in Hanoi on Tuesday.

Specifically, within the first quarter of 2025, the ministry must complete data connectivity in the three current control tools, including the national fisheries database (VNFishbase), the fishing vessel monitoring system, and the electronic traceability system to ensure seamless data flow from central to local authorities.

Ha also tasked the ministry with issuing procedures and statutes on managing, operating, updating, exploiting, and using fisheries management databases, as well as with developing regulations for management agencies, law enforcement forces, fishing ports, fishermen, and seafood processors and exporters.

Other directions given the ministry related to the establishment of interdisciplinary teams in the first quarter of 2025 to inspect the implementation of regulations on the management and updating of fishing vessel data in coastal localities, as well as the compliance with rules meant to combat IUU fishing.    

“We need to strengthen the tools for managing fisheries at sea through setting up fishing planning, fishing seasons, and fishing methods in each fishing ground,” the official said.

The directives came amid the relentless efforts by Vietnamese agencies to remove the IUU fishing ‘yellow card’ warning that has been imposed by the European Commission (EC) on Vietnamese seafood since October 2017.

The EC has so far sent four teams to Vietnam to carry out inspections of Vietnamese seafood, but the warning has yet to be removed due the inability of some localities to comply with EC requirements.

According to the ministry, the country has nearly overcome these shortcomings. 

Significant progress has been made, with up to 98.9 percent of fishing vessels now registered in the VN-Fishbase and all vessels with lengths of at least 15 meters having been equipped with a fishing vessel monitoring system.

Currently, only 888 Vietnamese fishing boats fall into the 'three-nos' category: no inspection, no registration, and no license, but all of them, according to local reports, are currently out of operation.

Additionally, the inspection and control of imported seafood have been carried out in accordance with international regulations and the EC’s suggestions, according to Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien.

So far, localities have prosecuted 39 criminal cases and brought 10 cases to trial for IUU-related crimes, such as organizing illegal exits for others to engage in illicit fishing in foreign waters, equipment tampering, and forgery.

The total amount of fines for IUU fishing acts issued in 2024 amounted to VND100 billion (US$3.94 million) for more than 4,000 violations.

From August 2024 to present, relevant agencies have recorded 10 cases in which Vietnamese fishermen in Kien Giang, Ca Mau, and Tien Giang Provinces were arrested by foreign authorities for illegal fishing in foreign waters. 

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