Sơn Trà border guard officers bringing awareness to local fishermen on IUU fishing regulations. — VNA/VNS Photo

ĐÀ NẴNG — Việt Nam has set a goal to eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by the end of November, heard the recent 15th session of the National Steering Committee for IUU Fishing Prevention and Control.

With the European Commission’s (EC) fifth inspection looming, coastal hotshots in central Việt Nam are hustling to plug gaps and show real results on the ground.

Crackdown on non-compliant vessels

In the central city of Huế, 1,121 fishing vessels are registered the national fisheries database (VNfishbase), with all 432 vessels over 15m fitted with voyage monitoring systems (VMS), achieving full compliance. But 109 vessels, 9.7 per cent of the fleet, are sailing with expired registrations. Local authorities are rounding up these violators for re-registration, teaming up with fishing ports to bring in outside inspectors for on-the-spot checks and certifications.

The municipal Department of Agriculture and Environment has ordered agencies to establish a coordinated mechanism to manage 65 vessels lacking registration, fishing licenses, or inspections, and those with VMS disconnections for more than six months, ensuring they are barred from operating.

In Đắk Lắk Province, 3,004 vessels are logged in the VNfishbase, with over 80 per cent engaged in offshore tuna fishing. Trouble is that 1,131 vessels, 37.65 per cent of the fleet, are breaking rules. Even after scrapping wrecked boats or those switched to aquaculture, 1,031 vessels, or 34.32 per cent, are still unfit to sail.

The provincial authorities are fast-tracking fishing permit issuance and renewals to boost compliance ahead of the EC’s inspection.

Central coastal provinces are syncing the VNfishbase with the national population database (VNeID). Đắk Lắk has got over 97 per cent of its vessels updated with citizen IDs and phone numbers, while Đà Nẵng City is posting a perfect 100 per cent for its 4,148 vessels, making sure every boat is on the radar.

Strict penalties for violations

From late May 2024 to late September 2025, Đắk Lắk authorities handled 91 fisheries-related administrative violations, levying fines totaling more than VNĐ1.2 billion (US$46,100), primarily for VMS connectivity failures.

In Đà Nẵng, 207 IUU fishing violations since early 2024 have racked up fines topping VNĐ9.8 billion, with most cases tied to VMS lapses. Authorities also revoked 24 captain licenses for 4.5-10.5 months as additional penalties. — VNS