Bình Định officials during inspections at sea. Photo chinhphu.vn

BÌNH ĐỊNH — Administrative fines totalling nearly VNĐ650 million (US$25,600) were issued to 10 fishing vessels for violating fisheries regulations, the Border Guard Command of Bình Định Province announced on Tuesday.

Based on violation records, the provincial Border Guard Commander fined eight captains VNĐ75 million ($3,000) each and suspended their skipper licences for nine months. Another captain was fined VNĐ17 million ($670) with a 4.5-month licence suspension, while the final case received a VNĐ25 million ($1,000) fine for failing to transmit vessel monitoring system (VMS) data.

The violations were detected during inspections by the Cát Khánh, Mỹ An, and Tam Quan Nam border posts in the communes of Cát Minh and Cát Tiến (Phù Cát District), Mỹ Cát (Phù Mỹ District), and Tam Quan Nam Ward (Hoài Nhơn Town).

Recorded infractions included operating beyond the permitted fishing zone, using vessels 12-15m long in offshore waters, and failure to transmit real-time VMS data.

According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, Bình Định currently has 5,926 registered fishing vessels, including 1,896 inshore, 833 midshore, and 3,197 offshore vessels.

The province’s IUU Fishing Prevention Steering Committee reported that in the first quarter, authorities — particularly the provincial Border Guard — handled 31 cases totalling VNĐ857.5 million ($33,900) in fines.

These included four violations for crossing maritime boundaries (VNĐ300 million), two for failing to record fishing logbooks (VNĐ15 million), ten for losing sea connection (VNĐ250 million), and twelve other violations (VNĐ292 million).

Provincial Chairman Phạm Anh Tuấn has directed strict monitoring of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, ordering that unqualified vessels be barred from operating. Bình Định has launched a campaign lasting through September 2025 aimed at lifting the European Commission’s yellow card warning on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

He also instructed the Border Guard Command to ensure no high-risk IUU vessels (lacking registration, permits, or tracking devices) are allowed to set sail, and to inspect 100 per cent of vessels passing through border checkpoints.

For boats found deliberately flouting regulations or repeatedly violating rules, indefinite bans may be considered. — VNS