Major General Vũ Trung Kiên, Deputy Commander for Legal Affairs of the Việt Nam Coast Guard Command, chairs a conference held in Hà Nội on October 17. — Photo courtesy of Việt Nam Coast Guard

HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Coast Guard (VCG) Command on Friday (October 17) officially launched a month-long campaign to prevent and eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, reinforcing its determination to end violations and contribute to the removal of the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood exports.

The campaign, running from October 15 to November 15, was announced at a national conference held by the VCG Command in Hà Nội and connected online to all coastal localities and regional commands.

Major General Vũ Trung Kiên, Deputy Commander for Legal Affairs of the VCG, chaired the event and said the VCG force would deploy a series of synchronised and decisive measures with “no forbidden zones,” focusing on strict monitoring and control of fishing vessels in overlapping and adjacent sea areas.

The campaign aims to strengthen patrols, inspections, and enforcement operations, particularly targeting vessels that lose their Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) signals or deliberately remove, lend, or share VMS devices to evade authorities.

Since early 2025, the VCG has detected and handled a number of serious IUU cases, including 25 Vietnamese fishing boats detained by foreign authorities and 50 vessels apprehended domestically for illegal fishing.

Despite progress, sophisticated violations persist, requiring stronger coordination among enforcement forces, ministries, and coastal provinces.

Over recent months, the VCG has maintained close cooperation with other law enforcement agencies, ministries, and local governments to implement comprehensive solutions against IUU fishing, helping to reduce cross-border violations and protect Việt Nam’s maritime resources.

A conference on October 17 was held both in-person and online, connecting the Việt Nam Coast Guard Command headquarters with its regional units and coastal provinces nationwide. — Photo courtesy of Việt Nam Coast Guard

Looking ahead, the Coast Guard Command emphasised the need to intensify awareness-raising campaigns through creative and practical communication efforts tailored to fishermen and vessel owners. Local units are also instructed to encourage compliance and foster a sense of responsibility among seafarers.

Kiên stressed that combating IUU fishing is not only the responsibility of the Coast Guard but also a political mission involving “the entire Party, army, people, and relevant authorities.”

He urged all units to uphold discipline, maintain morale under challenging weather and geopolitical conditions in the East Sea, and operate with unwavering vigilance 24/7.

“All missions must be implemented as part of a comprehensive, closed-loop strategy  from awareness and prevention to enforcement and deterrence, from coastal areas to offshore waters and overlapping zones,” he said.

The VCG will also enhance coordination with domestic agencies and international maritime law enforcement partners to jointly conduct patrols and share intelligence, ensuring effective and lawful operations in border and overlapping sea areas. — VNS