Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, who heads the National Steering Committee on Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, on January 27 chaired the committee’s 30th meeting during which he called for the improvement of the institutional framework, and strengthened management and supervision in the fight against IUU fishing.
Ha emphasised that while data on outstanding administrative sanctions at the local level have been fully compiled, inspections and audits in several localities revealed that more than half of the cases lacked sufficient legal grounds, were incomplete, or had exceeded the statute of limitations, resulting in their closure. This situation, he stressed, reflects shortcomings in enforcement discipline and accountability.
He instructed the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment, National Defence, Public Security, Justice, and Science and Technology, together with the Government Inspectorate, to continue deploying inter-sectoral inspection teams to examine how localities are implementing directives from the Prime Minister and the National Steering Committee, as well as recommendations raised by the European Commission (EC). These inspections must clearly identify the responsibilities of provincial and municipal leaders and relevant departments, and include random checks of cases reported as completed, to be finalised before February 15.
Local authorities were required to develop comprehensive inspection and supervision plans, with clear assignment of responsibilities to provincial leaders, departments, and agencies. Priority must be given to reviewing administrative sanctions imposed on violating fishing vessels, proactively re-examining case files, sanctioning progress and closed cases, and ensuring strict and consistent enforcement. Any new violations must be handled immediately, without delays.
The Deputy PM underscored the need to clarify local responsibility in managing vessels whose fishing licenses have been revoked due to non-compliance. Provincial leaders were instructed to tighten control down to the grassroots level, clearly assigning responsibility to commune-level People’s Committee chairpersons and commune police chiefs, and identifying precisely where each non-compliant vessel is anchored.
He also called for continued review and refinement of regulations related to data connectivity, administrative penalties, and the revocation and reissuance of licenses for fishing vessels that have been sold or transferred between provinces but have not yet completed re-registration procedures.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment was tasked with issuing detailed guidance to ensure these vessels are fully updated in the national fisheries database (Vnfishbase) and effectively managed. Until new registration and licensing procedures are completed, such vessels remain under the responsibility of their original registering localities.
Ha further directed the ministry to urgently simplify procedures for vessels facing difficulties in transferring registration and licenses, while clearly defining the responsibilities of buyers and sellers and stipulating sanctions for the use of vessels that have not completed ownership transfer or met licensing requirements.
He required continued upgrading of the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), Vnfishbase and the electronic catch documentation and traceability system (eCDT), ensuring data are accurate, complete, clean, real-time and interoperable, including connectivity with the national digital identification system (VNeID). He highlighted that Vnfishbase is a key demonstration of Vietnam’s technological application and transparency in fisheries management, and requested that access be facilitated for EU counterparts to directly reference relevant data.
At the meeting, Nguyen Van Thao, Vietnam Ambassador to Belgium and head of the Vietnamese Mission to the European Union (EU), said that the EC has appreciated the strong commitment and resolute leadership of the Vietnamese Government, ministries, sectors, local authorities and the National Steering Committee in implementing its recommendations on combating IUU fishing.
The EC has acknowledged Vietnam’s serious and systematic implementation of solutions, particularly in improving the legal framework, applying science and technology, and establishing inspection and monitoring mechanisms from the central to the local levels.
However, it has also pointed out five remaining issues, including incomplete information in some reports that hinders verification; inconsistencies among reported data; a relatively high number of violations, particularly cases involving loss of VMS connectivity and fishing vessels encroaching on foreign waters; and a large proportion of cases that have had to be closed without full resolution. In addition, the EC recommended that Vietnam step up administrative sanctions - a measure that can be implemented quickly and has a direct economic effect./.
Ho Chi Minh City steps up IUU fishing crackdown
The reinforced measures underscore Ho Chi Minh City’s determination to meet international commitments, contribute to the removal of the EU “yellow card”, and promote a sustainable and responsible fisheries sector.
