Border guard officers in Đồng Tháp Province inspect the operation of a vessel monitoring system (VMS) installed on a fishing boat as part of efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. — VNA/VNS Photo

ĐỒNG THÁP — The Mekong Delta province of Đồng Tháp is stepping up efforts to strengthen the management of fishing vessels and prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of Việt Nam’s nationwide drive to remove the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning.

According to the provincial People’s Committee, Đồng Tháp will continue implementing a range of synchronised measures aimed at improving the effectiveness of IUU prevention and ensuring sustainable fisheries management.

The province is focusing on effectively carrying out Directive No. 32-CT/TW issued by the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, along with resolutions and directives from the Government, the Prime Minister, the National Steering Committee on IUU, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

Relevant departments and local authorities have been tasked with intensifying communication campaigns to raise awareness among fishermen and vessel owners about complying with fisheries regulations.

Officials have also been assigned to directly monitor and support vessel owners in implementing regulations on offshore fishing activities.

At the same time, the province is tightening the management of its fishing fleet while strengthening inspections of vessels entering and leaving ports as well as operating at sea, particularly those considered at high risk of violating IUU regulations.

Functional agencies are coordinating closely to monitor fishing vessels through vessel monitoring systems (VMS), allowing authorities to promptly detect and strictly handle cases where monitoring devices lose connection or vessels show signs of violating fishery regulations or entering foreign waters illegally.

The province is also improving the implementation of electronic catch documentation and traceability (eCDT) systems to ensure that all fishing vessels declare their catch when entering and leaving ports.

This move aims to enhance transparency in seafood traceability, particularly for export markets.

In addition, Đồng Tháp plans to organise specialised inspection campaigns to detect and handle violations in fishery exploitation.

Authorities will strictly penalise acts such as disabling VMS devices, illegal fishing activities or failure to comply with anti-IUU regulations.

Border guard officers in Đồng Tháp Province conduct inspection and verification procedures for fishing vessels before they depart for offshore fishing. — VNA/VNS Photo

Inspection teams will also regularly review the implementation of IUU prevention measures at the local level to promptly address shortcomings and strengthen enforcement.

Alongside enforcement measures, the province is finalising and implementing its fisheries development plan for the 2026–2030 period, focusing on improving fishery management, protecting marine resources and meeting recommendations from the European Commission related to IUU fishing.

According to provincial authorities, Đồng Tháp has already achieved positive results in implementing anti-IUU measures in recent years.

These efforts have contributed to improving fishermen’s compliance with fisheries laws while promoting the sustainable development of the fishing industry.

Statistics from the provincial fisheries sector show that Đồng Tháp currently has 1,510 registered fishing vessels engaged in fishing activities.

All operating vessels have completed registration and inspection procedures, and have been granted fishing licences in accordance with regulations.

The installation and maintenance of vessel monitoring systems have also been prioritised.

Of the 935 vessels required to install VMS equipment, 906 operational vessels have installed and maintained active connections, reaching 100 per cent compliance among vessels eligible for fishing activities.

The remaining vessels are either damaged, inactive or currently under review.

Port control activities have been carried out strictly to ensure transparency in fisheries exploitation.

Since 2024, local fishing ports have processed 11,773 vessel arrivals, with total seafood landing volume of more than 80,982 tonnes.

From the beginning of 2026 to date, nearly 1,200 vessel arrivals have been recorded at local ports, with approximately 667 tonnes of seafood unloaded.

All landed seafood has been fully updated on the electronic traceability system in accordance with regulations.

Notably, since 2024, no fishing vessels from Đồng Tháp have been recorded violating foreign waters, while cases of vessels crossing fishing boundaries have been effectively controlled.

The province has also strengthened dissemination of fisheries regulations among vessel owners, captains and fishermen.

Meanwhile, authorities maintain a 24/7 monitoring system to track vessel movements through VMS, enabling early warnings for vessels at risk of violating fishing regulations.

Provincial leaders said these efforts would help Đồng Tháp contribute to the country’s broader goal of lifting the EC’s “yellow card” warning while ensuring the sustainable development of the fisheries sector. — VNS