An Phu commune in the central province of Quang Ngai has about 1,300 fishing vessels and the highest number of non-compliant boats in the province, with 46 recorded. Le Van Phong, whose nearly 20-year-old vessel is no longer safe for offshore fishing, was among the first to apply for dismantling to receive state support.
As of December 5, 2025, Dak Lak had 2,556 fishing vessels, with an annual marine catch of around 68,000 tonnes. An estimated 2,900 workers are in need of occupational transition, as most have limited educational backgrounds, unstable incomes and are increasingly ageing.
The Naval Region 4 Command reported on December 19 that it had coordinated efforts to safely bring 52 fishermen from a distressed fishing vessel to Song Tu Tay island in the Truong Sa special zone.
The two recipients are Phan Duy Quang, 47 years old and residing in Tay An Vinh hamlet, and Le Van Sanh, 37 years old, of Tay An Hai hamlet, Ly Son special zone.
The unit deployed 223 ship and boat sorties, covering more than 120,000 safe nautical miles. It detected, prevented and handled nearly 200 cases of violations of maritime law, dismantled eight major drug-related rings, and took action against 41 vessel owners for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
From January 2024 to mid-November 2025, Hue city recorded only seven IUU-related violations, all were addressed according to regulations. Nearly 1,000 vessels have completed data verification on the VNFishbase system, significantly improving transparency to support the yellow card removal process.
More than 100 local fishermen, fishing boat owners, and seafood traders from Cua Tung commune attended the event, which provided information on the Law of the Sea of Vietnam, the Fisheries Law, and relevant directives, resolutions, and regulations issued by the Government, the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defence on IUU fishing prevention and sustainable offshore operations.
The Indonesian President and the Malaysian Prime Minister discussed the progress their countries have achieved over the past few months, including border negotiations and the reduction in the number of fishermen caught in each region, which had previously been a major issue between the two countries.
Border guards in Ca Mau have successfully rescued eight foreign crew members in maritime emergencies.
Since the beginning of this year, Kien Giang province has imposed administrative fines on 15 VMS-related cases, totalling 760 million VND, down 11 cases compared the same period last year. Additionally, 35 cases related to IUU fishing have been handled, with total fines of over 325 million VND
The Command of Coast Guard Region 2 briefed the fishermen on the Law of the Sea of Vietnam, the Fisheries Law, and legal documents related to IUU prevention. Officers also provided guidance on identifying areas under Vietnam’s sovereignty and jurisdiction, traditional fishing grounds, warning zones, and prohibited fishing areas.
Recently, military medical workers of the Song Tu Tay island infirmary have successfully provided first aid and treatment for many fishermen with health problems while fishing in the Truong Sa sea area.
The military medical staff on Sinh Ton island, Truong Sa island district in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa rescued a fisherman who encountered a health issue at sea on January 29 (the first day of the Year of the Snake).
In recent years, along with maintaining combat readiness and firmly safeguarding territorial sovereignty, the border guard force in Nam Dinh province has made significant strides in combating crime and working with relevant agencies to implement measures against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Vessel 468 of Navy Region 4 on October 21 evening towed a fishing boat with its rudder shaft broken to Song Tu Tay island, Truong Sa island district, the central province of Khanh Hoa for repair.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has demanded efforts be ramped up to eradicate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing while leaders of poor-performing localities be stringently handled as a European Commission (EC) delegation will come to Vietnam for the fifth inspection this October.
Vietnam has taken measures to have the European Commission’s “yellow card” removed for Vietnamese seafood products regarding illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, Veeramalla Anjaiah, a senior research fellow at the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) and senior journalist based in Jakarta, has said.
Authorities in the south central coastal province of Phu Yen have tightened the control of the entry and exit of fishing vessels at ports to prevent unqualified boats from exploitation activities, so no violations relating to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing have been recorded in the locality since 2019.
As Da Dong island stands imposingly in the vast sea, neighboring Da Tay Island serves as a firm “base” for fishermen operating from the central coast to the southernmost tip of the Motherland.
Relevant agencies of Vietnam are coordinating closely with the Chinese side to search for the fishermen from central Quang Binh province who went missing after their vessels got into distress at sea, spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Pham Thu Hang said on May 9.