HCM City (VNA) – Fishermen in the southwestern coastal provinces are playing an increasingly active role in Vietnam’s efforts to remove the European Commission’s (EC) “yellow card” warning regarding illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Alongside enforcement agencies, they have shown strong responsibility, contributing vessels and resources, and serving as “extended arms” of border guards in raising awareness, safeguarding maritime sovereignty, and protecting aquatic resources.
In An Giang province, many fishermen have become a core force in preventing IUU violations. Among them, Ong Xuan Hien from Ha Tien ward has for years encouraged others to join models such as the “Safe Vessel Team” and “Solidarity Team at Sea,” while also supporting communication, rescue, and legal compliance initiatives.
The locality has reported encouraging progress, with 99.53% of fishing vessels now equipped with vessel monitoring systems (VMS). The number of boats breaching maritime boundaries has fallen by 66%, and cases of signal loss have dropped by 88% year-on-year. Since early 2025, An Giang border guards have processed more than 27,000 port entries and exits, detected 21 violations, and imposed fines worth nearly 1 billion VND (37,900 USD).
Authorities have intensified patrols, inspections, and communication campaigns, underscoring that combating IUU is essential to protect
fishermen’s own livelihoods.
Chairman of the An Giang People’s Committee Ho Van Mung stressed that the province is carrying out tough measures, from crackdowns on “three-nos” vessels (no registration, no licences, and no VMS equipment) to deploying automatic alerts for VMS disconnections, and strictly penalising repeat violators, including through criminal proceedings. Communication activities have also been diversified to ensure fishermen’s consensus.
The province has worked with the Ministry of National Defence’s Steering Committee on IUU prevention to launch a major emulation drive, with the participation of central leaders and 21 coastal localities, demonstrating strong political will to lift the EC’s “yellow card” soon.
In Ca Mau, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Van Su, who also heads the local anti-IUU steering committee, has ordered heightened determination and concrete results through the end of September 2025. By mid-September, the province had identified 851 vessels at risk of violations, with 603 completing digital registration records and vessel identification exceeding 98%. Border guards have secured commitments from more than 1,200 fishermen and organised training on vessel management software and digitalisation for local officials.
Public communication has also been stepped up, with over 8,000 news items, features, and messages on IUU prevention disseminated. Enforcement has been strict, with 39 vessels found disconnected from VMS signals for over six hours since early 2024 and fined heavily as a deterrent./.
