Khanh Hoa (VNA) – From the fishermen’s strong sense of responsibility to the swift actions of local authorities, the south central province of Khanh Hoa is combining all its resources to implement the European Commission’s recommendations to tackle illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
In Nam Nha Trang ward, task forces are closely watching fishing vessels, tracking their routes, overseeing arrival and departure procedures, and tracing the origins of seafood. Meanwhile, fishermen’s understanding and adherence to regulation against unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing have steadily improved, reducing the likelihood of vessels entering foreign waters illegally.
Fishermen are demonstrating strong self-discipline in preventing IUU fishing. Duong Teo, a fisherman from Nha Trang ward, owns two large-capacity vessels specialising in offshore tuna fishing. Before each long trip, his crew thoroughly checks life-saving gear and vessel monitoring system (VMS) devices, and completes all departure procedures. During their operations, they fish only in Vietnamese waters. They also keep fishing logs in both paper and electronic formats to ensure seafood traceability.
Khanh Hoa currently has 5,120 fishing vessels with a maximum length of six metres or more. Of these, 2,667 are between six and under 12 metres long, 969 are between 12 and under 15 metres, and 1,484 are 15 metres or longer. All vessels have been marked in accordance with regulations, registered, licensed for fishing, and updated on the VNFishbase system, with all 5,120 vessels accounted for.
To tighten management in the province, Senior Lieutenant Chu Dinh Tai, head of the Hon Ro Border Guard Control Station, said the unit regularly coordinates with the Nha Trang Fisheries Surveillance Station and relevant agencies to disseminate information and encourage fishermen to comply with anti-IUU fishing regulations. Border Guard forces patrol and address violations, while a dedicated team has been set up to handle newly identified vessels that don’t meet operating standards, working with ward police to confirm vessel ownership. The Hon Ro Border Guard Control Station strictly refuses departure clearance for vessels in violation.
Every week, vessel data is transparently updated on a digital platform, enabling competent authorities to report and accurately monitor the locations of anchored vessels.
In addition to grassroots efforts, the Khanh Hoa provincial People’s Committee has rolled out an action plan to tackle the EC’s recommendations from its fifth inspection. The plan focuses on resolving remaining issues, boosting the efficiency of State management, tightening control over fishing from shore to ports and at sea, improving seafood traceability, and ensuring no local fishing vessels enter foreign waters illegally.
Khanh Hoa is concentrating its resources on addressing shortcomings in fleet management, the VNFishbase database, VMS, the electronic catch documentation and traceability system (eCDT), seafood traceability, and records of violations. The province is determined not to allow vessels that fail to meet requirements to leave port or engage in fishing activities.
The provincial People’s Committee, specialised agencies and local authorities are reviewing outstanding violations while maintaining separate monitoring files for fishing vessels and fishermen considered at high risk of violation.
Khanh Hoa is also accelerating digital transformation, while supporting occupational transition and vessel scrapping for boats no longer needed for fishing activities, contributing to sustainable fisheries development./.
VNA
