Lam Dong (VNA) – The central province of Lam Dong has launched an intensive inspection campaign targeting 12 businesses and facilities involved in purchasing, processing, and exporting seafood to European markets as part of the ongoing nationwide efforts to have the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing removed.
At the heart of the campaign, running from September 22 to 26, is the scrutiny of internal anti-IUU protocols across the entire supply chain, from raw material procurement through processing, preservation, and final export. Businesses must maintain well-organised records, making them ready for review by the EC delegation.
Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Van Chien said the campaign is to examine and evaluate the compliance with IUU-related legal requirements among the businesses and provide them with guidance in a timely fashion, ensuring they are well prepared for the EC’s fifth inspection.
Seafood processing is among Lam Dong’s key industries, contributing substantially to local export revenues. The province is now home to 26 companies with 34 processing facilities authorised for seafood export, including five directly shipping their products to Europe. In the first half of the year, over 20,000 tonnes of seafood was processed, generating export revenues of more than 117 million USD, up 6% year-on-year.
Over the recent past, Lam Dong has drastically carried out harmonious measures to carry out the EC’s recommendations and ensure sustainable fisheries development. In particular, communications campaigns to raise public awareness of anti-IUU fishing regulations have been conducted regularly, raising awareness among fishermen. Since the start of 2025, border guard units have held over 500 outreach sessions involving 27,700 fishermen and secured commitments from 5,735 vessel owners and captains.
More than 8,400 fishing boats from six metres in length have been registered on the national fisheries database system (VNFishbase). Of the 1,984 vessels 15 metres or longer, 1,972 have been equipped with vessel monitoring systems (VMS) and updated on the national VMS network, achieving full compliance among active boats. The 12 vessels yet to install VMS have been suspended from operations.
Over the past eight months, the law enforcement force has forwarded over 150 violation cases to relevant authorities for administrative punishment./.
Southern localities clamp down on IUU fishing, tighten control over vessels
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, all “three-no's” fishing boats that lack proper registration, fishing licences, and inspection certificates have been phased out in most of the coastal localities. Additionally, vessel data have been updated in the national fisheries database.
