Can Tho (VNA) – In strict compliance with the Government’s directives on accelerating the digitalisation of fisheries data, the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho is stepping up the application of digital technologies in managing and monitoring fishing vessels.
With the coordinated rollout of these solutions, the city aims to restore order in the sector and guide local fishing activities toward a sustainable, modern model aligned with international standards, an important step in addressing the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Instead of spending hours completing paperwork at the Tran De Fishing Port Authority, fishermen like Le Hoai Thuong can now file electronic declarations through the eCDT VN mobile application one hour before docking. Integrating key information such as catch volume and fishing grounds, the system streamlines administrative procedures while helping the port authority reduce time spent on inspection, monitoring and documentation.
Thuong said that submitting information in advance allows port officials to arrange docking schedules more efficiently.
“Previously, I had to wait at the port to register. Now everything is handled through the app,” he noted.
To strengthen vessel oversight, Can Tho has completed the classification, registration, certification and licensing of all eligible vessels, and updated data for 100% of fishing boats and their owners into the national fisheries database (VNFishbase) and the national population database (VNeID).
In addition, instead of relying solely on indirect SMS messages, the municipal Fisheries and Fishery Surveillance Sub-Department now sends real-time notifications directly to vessel owners and captains through its website and smartphone messages whenever a vessel loses connection with its vessel monitoring device.
According to Lu Tan Hoa, Deputy Director of the municipal Fisheries and Fishery Surveillance Sub-Department, the new approach ensures that alerts are not missed. “Once a message is sent, the phone rings immediately, allowing fishermen to respond quickly,” he said.
Digitalisation has significantly strengthened fleet management capacity, enabling timely detection of vessels at risk of IUU fishing and enhancing transparency in traceability for export markets.
With a fleet of 784 fishing vessels and around 30,000 workers in the sector, Can Tho continues to prioritise training programmes, infrastructure upgrades and equipment synchronisation from vessel monitoring systems to electronic logbooks to ensure the smooth adoption of digital tools.
By accelerating digital transformation, the city not only meets key EC recommendations on combating IUU fishing but also lays the foundation for restructuring the local fisheries sector toward greater transparency, accountability and sustainable development./.
