Hung Yen (VNA) – The northern province of Hung Yen has made significant strides in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, reflecting the strong local determination to help the country lift the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” warning.
According to the provincial Sub-Department of Seas and Fisheries, Hung Yen has 734 licensed fishing vessels, all of which were recorded in the national fisheries database (VnFishbase). Every vessel measuring 15 metres or more has installed a vessel monitoring system (VMS) and obtained food safety certificates, while 99% of those 12 metres or longer have received technical safety certificates.
In the first 10 months of 2025, the province reported no vessels losing VMS connection for over 10 days or infringing foreign waters, and cases of disconnection for over six hours numbered 53, dropping by 222 compared to the same period last year.
The sub-department has conducted 24/7 monitoring of vessel movements to promptly alert authorities to violations. It has also shared 24 VMS tracking accounts with the border guard force, the Office of the provincial Steering Board for Disaster Response and Rescue, and localities to strengthen coordination in vessel monitoring, rescue operations, and law enforcement, said Director of the sub-department Hoang Minh Giang.
To enhance traceability, three eCDT VN kiosks have been installed at Cua Lan and Tan Son fishing ports while 100% of captains guided in installing and using software for declaring and tracking catches electronically. Since the start of 2025, more than 3,800 vessel arrivals and departures have been processed through the eCDT system.
Local authorities have strengthened inspections and penalties for IUU violations, imposing over 220 million VND (nearly 8,400 USD) in administrative fines so far this year.
The border guard and fisheries inspectors have also handled multiple cases involving unregistered operations, use of banned fishing tools, and record-keeping violations, Giang noted.
Besides, public awareness campaigns have brought visible changes in fishermen’s behaviour. In Thai Thuy commune, all vessel owners and captains have made commitments to steering clear of violations, complying with fishing rules, and properly keeping logbooks, according to Chairman of the communal People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trong.
Despite certain progress, challenges remain, including limited infrastructure at Tan Son and Cua Lan ports, staff rotations affecting management continuity, and a shortage of equipment and facilities.
Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment Do Quy Phuong said Hung Yen will maintain round-the-clock monitoring, intensify patrols, and strictly handle violations related to VMS disconnection, unlicensed fishing, or the use of explosives and electric shock tools.
Hung Yen also plans to accelerate dredging at fishing ports and upgrades at Tan Son port to meet Type-II standards, while holding officials accountable for lax enforcement.
Provincial authorities have proposed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment issue clear guidance for dealing with vessels that fail to report arrivals or sell fish at sea, and improve fisheries monitoring software to ensure accurate and transparent traceability.
Vietnam has been working hard to carry out the EC’s recommendations about IUU fishing prevention and control, towards the goal of having the "yellow card" warning lifted.
The EC issued a “yellow card” warning for Vietnam in this regard in 2017. The "yellow card" is followed by a "green card" if the problem is resolved or a "red card" if it is not. A “red card” may lead to a ban on aquatic exports to the EU./.
