Dong Thap (VNA) – The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap is stepping up measures to tighten fishing vessel management and prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of efforts to address the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood.
Nguyen Phuoc Thien, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee and head of the provincial Steering Committee on IUU fishing prevention and control, urged local agencies and authorities to intensify communication campaigns and encourage fishermen to comply with regulations, particularly the ban on taking vessels beyond permitted waters. Violations must be closely monitored and handled in accordance with the law.
Localities with fishing vessels were requested to diversify communication methods, focusing on vessels at high risk of violation, conduct inspections at fishing ports, anchorage areas and fishing wharves, and address cases of vessels failing to anchor at designated locations.
Authorities are also required to ensure that all vessels equipped with radio and satellite-based voyage monitoring system (VMS) devices have the necessary frequency and radio equipment licences. Cases failing to meet requirements must be reviewed and provided with specific remedial measures.
Dong Thap is allocating resources to support the upgrading and replacement of VMS equipment, as well as occupational transition and vessel scrapping for boats no longer engaged in fishing.
Resolution No. 47/2025/NQ-HDND, issued by the provincial People’s Council on December 31, 2025, allocates over 30.3 billion VND (1.16 million USD) for the programme. Of this amount, 27.9 billion VND is set aside for vessel scrapping, while more than 2.4 billion VND will be used to help vessel owners and crew members with vocational training and job hunting.
The province has completed licensing procedures for 100% of its active fishing vessels. All vessels have been registered, inspected, certified for food safety, equipped with VMS devices, and required to maintain signals in accordance with regulations.
Since 2024, Dong Thap has recorded no fishing vessels violating foreign waters. The province has also strengthened vessel monitoring at ports and coordinated inspections of vessels that lose VMS signals at sea.
The provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment has re-established teams responsible for vessel monitoring and anti-IUU fishing enforcement, and established teams to inspect the installation and sealing of VMS and VX 1700 equipment, and vessels remaining ashore.
Electronic catch documentation and traceability (eCDT) has also been deployed to ensure transparency and legality in aquatic exports. All vessels entering and leaving ports and purchasing enterprises are required to update information on the electronic traceability system.
At My Tho and Vam Lang fishing ports, 4,784 vessel arrivals have been handled since the beginning of the year, with more than 32,700 tonnes of aquatic products unloaded and fully recorded.
In the first nine months of 2026, both ports have processed 100% of vessel arrivals and departures and receipt records through the eCDT system. No exported shipment bound for the European market has so far been found to violate regulations related to IUU fishing, or required verification due to errors in export documentation./.
VNA
