Lam Dong (VNA) - The Department of Agriculture and Environment of Lam Dong province has directed its Sub-Department of Fisheries and Islands, border guard stations, and coastal localities to coordinate in resolving pending issues related to fishing vessel registration and the issuance of fishing licences in line with the set approved plan.
Deputy Director of the department Nguyen Van Chien requested relevant units to focus on addressing unqualified fishing vessels, including those with expired fishing licences or registration certificates, and taking strict measures against boats that frequently lose vessel monitoring system (VMS) connections.
He urged relevant authorities and commune-level administrations to promptly review unresolved issues that have yet to be agreed upon in the handling process.
Colonel Pham Xuan Do, Deputy Commander of the provincial Border Guard Command, affirmed that coastal border guard units and Squadron 2 have been instructed to intensify patrols and strictly prevent unqualified fishing vessels from operating.
He noted that any deliberate violations will be strictly handled, with vessels required to return to designated anchorage areas and placed under close supervision. Fishermen must complete all necessary procedures for their boats before setting sail for fishing activities.
According to the Sub-Department of Fisheries and Islands, as of October 23, 7,255 out of 8,398 fishing vessels measuring six metres or longer in the locality still hold valid fishing licences. Meanwhile, 3,212 out of 3,957 vessels remain validly registered. In addition, 311 fishing boats have been proposed by local authorities for deregistration.
The local authorities are mobilising all available resources to complete the registration and inspection of all expired fishing vessels in October 2025. The province considers the work a key measure in fighting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, thus having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood exports removed./.
Vietnam’s fight against IUU fishing coupled with sustainable fisheries development: official
Vietnam is implementing a set of comprehensive measures to combat IUU fishing and develop sustainable fisheries, including managing registration and licensing fishing activities based on the national VNFishbase database; monitoring fishing vessel movements and establishing electronic traceability; strictly penalising violations; and digitising the entire fishing process to prevent the circulation, processing, and consumption of illegal aquatic products.
