Fishing boat equipped with a journey monitoring device in Quảng Bình. VNA/VNS Photo Tá Chuyên

HÀ NỘI Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính ordered authorities to launch a strict campaign in November to combat fishing vessels that lack proper documentation and fail to meet legal standards for fishing activities.

Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà signed a directive on Monday, on behalf of the Prime Minister, regarding urgent measures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The directive also calls for thorough preparation to host the European Commission’s (EC) fifth inspection team.

The directive was sent to ministers from the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Finance, Planning and Investment, Information and Communications, Foreign Affairs, Public Security, and National Defence, along with chairs of the 28 coastal provincial and city People’s Committees and the chairpersons of relevant fishery associations, such as the Việt Nam Fisheries Association.

The directive highlights that despite seven years of IUU countermeasures, numerous critical targets and objectives remain unmet. These include registration, issuance of fishing permits, addressing the 'three-nos' (no registration, no ownership, no fishing licences) vessels and ensuring compliance with vessel monitoring system (VMS) regulations.

To lift the 'Yellow Card' warning from the EC, which could affect Việt Nam’s fisheries sector, the Prime Minister has urged that each agency establishes specific roles and responsibilities, clear completion timelines and outcomes.

The directive requires strict accountability from agency heads for the completion of assigned duties and encourages timely recognition or disciplinary action for compliance or negligence.

Throughout November, law enforcement agencies are instructed to conduct intensive patrols to identify and address 'three-nos' vessels, unauthorised fishing activities and unregistered vessels still operating.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, together with the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Science and Technology, will standardise specifications for VMS devices to prevent tampering and ensure connectivity for tracking fishing vessels. They will work with relevant technology companies to enhance Việt Nam’s fisheries information management system, the VNFishbase national fisheries database and VMS monitoring with AI technology.

The Ministry of National Defence will task the Navy, Border Guard, and Coast Guard to increase patrols near border areas with other countries, where Vietnamese fishing vessels have repeatedly infringed upon foreign waters.

The Ministry of Public Security will direct coastal provincial police to regulate undocumented fishing vessel sales, purchases and transfers. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will encourage diplomatic cooperation to share and obtain data from foreign authorities, as well as to sign bilateral agreements and establish hotline services with these countries to coordinate action on Vietnamese fishing vessels and crew members.

Specifically, the chairpersons of the 28 coastal provincial and city People’s Committees are expected to lead local IUU prevention efforts. They are instructed to promptly categorise and assess the status of all vessels, address remaining issues related to undocumented vessels and ensure their details are recorded in the VNFishbase database, to be completed by November 20. VNS