Thanh Hoa to block IUU fishing vessels from sailing

On the afternoon of March 27, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha chaired a meeting of the National Steering Committee on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The meeting was held online with participation from 21 coastal provinces and cities.

At the Thanh Hoa meeting point, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Cao Van Cuong and members of the provincial steering committee on IUU prevention attended the conference.

At the meeting, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment reported the results of a recent peak inspection campaign on IUU fishing, focusing on stricter handling of administrative violations in key localities and tighter monitoring of fishing vessel activities.

As of March 25, 2026, a total of 52,872 fishing vessels measuring 6 metres or longer nationwide had joined the eCDT system. Local authorities have instructed relevant agencies to review and guide fishermen in installing and using the system to record port departures and arrivals in accordance with regulations. As a result, in the first three months of 2026, authorities monitored 75,310 vessel departures and 66,747 arrivals nationwide, while 140,107 tonnes of seafood landed at ports were also tracked through the eCDT system.

In March 2026, the fifth inspection delegation from the European Commission (EC) visited several localities in Viet Nam. During working sessions with the delegation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, together with relevant ministries, sectors and localities, provided direct explanations on the issues raised. Based on the delegation’s preliminary recommendations, the ministry has coordinated with relevant agencies and local authorities to implement and propose measures to address the issues raised.

At the conference, representatives from ministries, sectors and localities discussed shortcomings in combating IUU fishing and implementing the EC’s recommendations, while clarifying matters raised by the inspection delegation.

In Thanh Hoa province, efforts to combat IUU fishing have recorded notable results. The province currently has 6,217 fishing vessels, including 2,901 vessels measuring 6 metres or longer that have been registered and updated in the national fisheries database (Vnfishbase), achieving a 100% rate. All 985 vessels subject to mandatory registration have also been entered into the Vnfishbase database and a Google Sheet monitoring system. From January 1 to March 26, 2026, a total of 4,781 tonnes of seafood were unloaded at fishing ports and landing sites across the province. Administrative violations have been handled strictly and decisively.

Following the online meeting, Vice Chairman Cao Van Cuong urged provincial departments, sectors and local authorities to focus on the EC’s recommendations and continue implementing them in full compliance with regulations.

For fishing vessels failing to meet operational requirements, he urged local authorities to work with border guards and police to closely monitor them and bar them from sailing. He also called for thorough verification and handling of vessels that lose connection with their vessel monitoring systems (VMS) or cross permitted maritime boundaries, while ensuring all data are fully updated and records properly archived. For vessels losing VMS signals, functional forces must update the information and resolve cases completely.

The Vice Chairman tasked relevant agencies with reviewing all fishing vessels and marking or repainting them in line with EC requirements. Agencies were also instructed to verify documentation for vessels whose cases have been closed to ensure accuracy and compliance. At the same time, local authorities were ordered to enhance monitoring through the eCDT system and maintain regular progress reports so the Department of Agriculture and Environment can consolidate the data.

Authorities are instructed to maintain 24/7 control at fishing ports, thoroughly check all documentation, fishing logs, and licenses, and strictly supervise seafood landings. Additional administrative violations in the fisheries sector are to be incorporated into enforcement measures. Agencies must carefully review and categorize vessels that have lost VMS signals or exceeded permitted maritime boundaries, ensuring all actions comply with regulations. At the same time, complete information on penalties must be updated in the fisheries administrative enforcement database to serve as a basis for evaluating the effectiveness and accountability of the responsible authorities.

In his concluding remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha tasked local authorities with assigning and deploying personnel to carry out IUU fishing prevention measures with clear roles and responsibilities. The focus is on directing specialized agencies and enforcement forces to strictly bar fishing vessels that do not meet operational requirements from sailing, ensure proper marking and numbering of vessels, and closely monitor those at risk of violating foreign maritime boundaries.