Dong Thap (VNA) – The fight against IUU fishing in the southern province of Dong Thap has become more substantive and effective thanks to greater decentralisation and delegation of authority to local administrations following the implementation of the two-tier local administration model on July 1, 2025.
In My Tho ward, which has 184 fishing vessels operating at sea, the local administration has focused on managing ineligible vessels and monitoring those at high risk of IUU fishing violations.
Vice Chairman of the My Tho People's Committee Dinh Tu Khoa said lists of ineligible vessels are publicly posted at the ward People's Committee office and residential areas. Heads of residential groups are assigned to supervise vessel owners and ensure that fishing gear and equipment are not kept on ineligible vessels.
The ward also regularly checks vessel monitoring system (VMS) connections and works with owners whose vessels lose signals to identify causes and prevent repeat violations. If a vessel loses its signal and fails to report its position for more than one day, ward police visit the owner's residence to make a record and request corrective action.
As a result, no fishing vessel in My Tho has lost connection for more than six hours without reporting its position or remained disconnected for more than 10 days.
Gia Thuan commune, home to Dong Thap's largest fishing fleet, has 422 vessels of at least 15 metres operating offshore and 141 vessels under 15 metres operating near shore.
Vice Chairwoman of the Gia Thuan People's Committee Ha Tran Phuong Thuy said the commune currently has no vessel on the high-risk IUU list, no vessel disconnected from VMS for more than six months, and no vessel that has crossed permitted maritime boundaries or violated foreign waters.
Inspection and control of vessels entering and leaving ports are carried out regularly by border guards, fishing port management boards, police and local administrations. The forces exchange information daily through a joint Zalo group to promptly handle vessels that are ineligible for operation or show signs of violations.
Raising fishermen's awareness
According to Dong Thap's Steering Committee for IUU fishing prevention and control, localities have implemented measures including legal dissemination, tighter vessel management, port controls, vessel registration and inspection, fishing licences, and installation and maintenance of VMS equipment. These efforts have helped improve fishermen's compliance and reduce IUU fishing violations.
Tran Thi Be Bay, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, said Dong Thap is working to shift traditional fishing practices towards responsible and sustainable fisheries. Concerted efforts by authorities and fishermen have raised awareness of legal compliance.
All offshore fishing vessels have VMS equipment installed and maintain connections while operating, while port departure and arrival procedures are largely observed. These results have enabled the province to basically complete its planned IUU fishing prevention tasks and contribute to the national effort to have the EU's “yellow card” against on Vietnamese seafood exports removed soon.
Fisherman Hai Thien Phuc in Gia Thuan commune said local authorities' dissemination and reminders have encouraged them to strictly comply with regulations, maintain VMS connections and remain within permitted fishing grounds.
Looking ahead, Vice Chairman of the Dong Thap People's Committee and head of the provincial Steering Committee for IUU fishing prevention and control Nguyen Phuoc Thien has asked communes and wards to definitively classify and handle ineligible vessels, clean up vessel data and review the entire fleet equipped with VMS, particularly vessels measuring 12–15 metres.
Authorities are also required to propose support policies to ensure all eligible vessels have and maintain VMS connections, while promoting technology-based vessel management through interconnected databases linking fishing ports with border guards and police.
The province will further strengthen remote monitoring, satellite data and warning systems, and closely manage “three-no's” vessels, deregistered vessels and ineligible vessels. It will also implement support for job conversion and vessel scrapping under Resolution No. 47/2025/NQ-HDND and assist fishermen in upgrading and maintaining VMS systems under Resolution No. 48/2025/NQ-HDND of the provincial People's Council./.
