Việt Nam Coast Guard vessels perform patrols and surveillance to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the border waters. — Photos courtesy of the Việt Nam Coast Guard

HCM CITY — A delegation from the Việt Nam Coast Guard (VCG), led by Senior Colonel Lâm Sơn Tùng, Deputy Chief of Staff, conducted a field inspection from August 29 to September 3 in the maritime border area between Việt Nam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

The inspection was part of an intensive campaign to prevent and eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The working delegation inspects Coast Guard, Fisheries Surveillance, and Standing Militia vessels on duty at sea.

The delegation included leaders from the VNCG's Political Department, Department of Professional Operations and Law, and representatives from Coast Guard Region No. 3 and No. 4 Commands.

During the mission, the delegation inspected two Coast Guard vessels, three Fisheries Surveillance vessels, and two ships from the Standing Militia Flotilla currently performing anti-IUU duties.

Senior Colonel Tùng praised the officers and soldiers for overcoming challenges, maintaining strict watch systems, and tracking targets effectively.

He asked units to remain strictly compliant with orders, coordinate closely with on-duty forces, combat maritime smuggling and trade fraud, and continue supporting local fishermen through search and rescue operations alongside the "Coast Guard accompanies fishermen" programme.

The delegation also conducted random inspections of several fishing vessels operating in the overlapping border waters, noting that the crews generally complied well with anti-IUU regulations.

The Việt Nam Coast Guard delegation presents gifts and offers words of encouragement to maritime enforcement forces carrying out duties against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

Across the entire force, VCG units have actively patrolled border zones while intensifying legal awareness efforts.

The Coast Guard has directly provided information to 772 vessel turns and 5,639 crew members, broadcast legal regulations via marine radio to over 3,100 vessels and 21,812 fishermen, distributed more than 3,100 leaflets and law handbooks, and gifted over 700 national flags to local fishermen.

Moving forward, the VNCG will continue working with coastal localities to enhance legal education and rigorously address violations, contributing to the nation's efforts to remove the European Commission’s "yellow card" warning on Vietnamese seafood. — VNS