HCMC – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called for stronger measures to put an end to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing so that the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning on Vietnam’s seafood could be soon lifted.
On October 21, PM Chinh chaired the 18th meeting of the National Steering Committee for Combating IUU Fishing. The meeting was connected online with 21 coastal provinces and cities. This was the committee’s regular weekly session held every Tuesday as part of Vietnam’s ongoing campaign against IUU fishing.
The PM has issued a directive combating IUU fishing, launched an action plan for the peak month against IUU activities, and sent instructions to localities to review and announce the opening of fishing ports.
Other key actions include collecting feedback on the draft amendment to the decree on administrative penalties in the fisheries sector, issuing temporary regulations on the announcement of port openings, submitting updated reports on IUU prevention to the European Commission (EC), intensifying communication campaigns, and developing livelihood transition programs for fishermen.
Ministries, sectors, and localities are implementing 11 tasks, including inspecting imported aquatic products; organizing training on fishing operations and vessel monitoring systems (VMS); reporting emerging issues to competent authorities; developing regulations for the management, operation, and use of vessel tracking and alert systems; strengthening traceability of caught seafood to prevent origin fraud; and expanding international cooperation.
Two tasks remain unfinished: dispatching a working delegation to Malaysia to cooperate on IUU prevention and conducting a comprehensive inspection of key provinces involved in IUU fishing.
Emphasizing that combating IUU fishing serves the interests of every citizen, supports the sustainable development of the fisheries sector, and safeguards national interests, PM Chinh called on citizens and officials to seriously and effectively join the anti-IUU campaign.
He requested the Standing Board of the Steering Committee and the Government Office to compile weekly reports on IUU prevention outcomes as a basis for evaluating and ranking performance across the political system, especially for leaders, in accordance with Regulation No. 366-QD/TW of the Politburo.
The PM urged ministries, agencies, and localities to strictly adhere to regular reporting requirements on IUU prevention. He made it clear that heads of ministries, agencies, and localities would be held directly accountable before the Government and the PM if fishing vessels continue to violate regulations or if progress in lifting the EC’s “yellow card” remains slow.
The PM pointed out that several localities still allow unqualified vessels to operate—a total of 6,004 boats—and 292 vessels remain unregistered, mostly in Vinh Long, Quang Ngai and An Giang provinces, and Ho Chi Minh City. Some cases of violations in foreign waters have yet to be resolved, case files have been slow to transfer to judicial authorities, and progress in establishing national fisheries traceability and data systems remains limited.
Therefore, PM Chinh directed ministries, agencies, and localities to complete, within the coming week, the licensing of all qualified fishing vessels and decisively prohibit unqualified ones from operating; ensure 100% VMS installation; end all VMS disconnections; complete the licensing of qualified fishing ports and support other ports in meeting required standards for operation; and finalize traceability and national fisheries database records.
He reaffirmed that the Party and the State have no higher goal than safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity while improving the happiness and prosperity of the people. However, law violations must be strictly handled to ensure the stable, sustainable development of Vietnam’s fisheries, protect national reputation, and secure the long-term interests of its citizens. Vietnam must resolutely wage a “war” against IUU fishing.
To that end, he assigned specific tasks to ministries, agencies, and localities. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is to promptly issue a temporary set of criteria for certifying fishing ports qualified for traceability verification within the next week; coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense, and Ministry of Public Security to prepare documentation, evidence, and technical reports for the fifth working session with the EC; and work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), and media agencies to develop a communications series titled “Real Action – Removing the IUU Yellow Card.”
The Ministry of National Defense will continue patrols, prevention, and handling of fishing vessels violating foreign waters; put the national vessel control system into operation across all sea areas by October 30, 2025; complete the inter-agency maritime coordination regulation by October 25, 2025; and direct Viettel Group to work with VNPT to complete the integration of vessel monitoring data systems. The ministry will also deploy the VMS disconnection alert system and e-logbooks by October 30, 2025.
The Ministry of Public Security will focus on investigating, prosecuting, and strictly handling IUU-related cases, particularly organized networks facilitating illegal border crossings by fishing vessels, and cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and localities to implement the VNeID system for managing fishermen and vessels.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue coordinating with relevant agencies to prepare for the next technical dialogue with the EC and proactively work with Malaysia to clarify information regarding two detained Vietnamese fishing vessels.
The Ministry of Justice will soon appraise a draft decree amending Decree No. 38/2024/ND-CP on administrative penalties in the fisheries sector.
The PM instructed all coastal localities to strictly implement all instructions from the Party Central Committee, the Government, and the Steering Committee on combating IUU fishing. They must review and officially announce IUU-compliant fishing ports by October 30, 2025, and thoroughly resolve outstanding issues, including disconnected VMS systems and foreign water violations, by October 31, 2025.
