HCMC – HCMC has tightened control over fishing vessels entering and leaving local ports to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and improve fisheries management.
The city’s Department of Agriculture and Environment on October 24 directed port authorities to promptly report IUU violations to relevant agencies, following recommendations from the European Commission (EC), reported the Vietnam News Agency.
The department’s Deputy Director Pham Thi Na asked port managers to ensure fishing boat owners and crews comply with reporting requirements and to identify vessels avoiding designated ports.
Na added that some boats registered in the city have shifted to docking in neighboring provinces to evade inspections. The department will work with nearby provinces to strengthen monitoring and enforcement.
The department also instructed its specialized units to complete port service pricing proposals for appraisal by the Department of Finance.
According to Trinh Duc Toan, director of the city’s Fisheries Port Authority, HCMC has nine fishing ports, three of which are designated for docking, unloading, processing, and related services.
Since early 2024, more than 5,700 vessels have departed and over 4,500 have arrived at the ports, handling nearly 11,660 tons of seafood. All fishing vessels over 15 meters in length have been inspected and monitored. Electronic traceability systems have been deployed at all ports.
The People’s Committee of HCMC has invested in upgrading port facilities and storm shelters, but infrastructure still falls short of demand.
The Fisheries Port Authority proposed penalties for vessels over 15 meters that fail to dock at designated ports and suggested establishing criteria to recognize “IUU-compliant vessels” to encourage compliance.
The department will also assign fisheries inspectors to ensure boats operate within licensed areas under the city’s jurisdiction.
The move in HCMC aligns with Vietnam’s nationwide push to eliminate IUU fishing and develop a sustainable seafood sector, according to the Directorate of Fisheries.
Vu Duyen Hai, deputy director of the directorate under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, said IUU fishing remains a global challenge, threatening marine biodiversity, food security, and maritime safety. It accounts for an estimated 20% of global seafood catches, or 15 to 25 million tons annually.
Vietnam is the world’s third-largest seafood exporter, after China and Norway, and one of the seven biggest seafood producers. The country has joined several international conventions and organizations on sustainable fisheries, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has urged stronger action to end IUU fishing and secure the removal of the EC’s “yellow card” warning on Vietnam’s seafood exports. On October 21, he chaired the 18th meeting of the National Steering Committee for Combating IUU Fishing, calling for tighter coordination among localities and agencies nationwide.
