Ninh Binh prioritizes urgent IUU fishing prevention
Adhering to the requirements for IUU fishing prevention with the highest sense of responsibility, Ninh Binh province has vigorously implemented a series of comprehensive measures to combat IUU fishing, addressing the European Commission's recommendations, enhancing inspection and control, and swiftly rectifying maritime activities.
As of January 5, Ninh Binh has installed Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) on 592 out of 594 fishing vessels over 15 meters in length, achieving a 99.66% completion rate. According to reports, only two vessels have registered but not yet installed VMS due to the owners recently registering and the vessels being inactive or docked for an extended period.
Notably, the Ninh Binh Provincial People's Committee recently issued Directive No. 01/CĐ-UBND focusing on the mission of combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated IUU fishing.
According to the Ninh Binh Provincial People's Committee, combating IUU fishing and lifting the "yellow card" warning is a top priority, crucial for the sustainable development of the province's seafood industry. The province is concentrating leadership, directing, and prioritizing resources for functional agencies to effectively and efficiently carry out their assigned tasks.
Strict accountability measures are in place for organizations and individuals failing to fulfill their duties, with decisive directives to "declare war" on IUU fishing violations. Maximum time and resources are being mobilized to execute urgent and critical tasks.
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| Ninh Binh is concentrating all resources and maximizing time to collaboratively undertake the mission of combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. (Source: Agriculture and Environment Newspaper) |
To ensure significant progress and effective implementation, Ninh Binh has clearly defined responsibilities for each department, sector, and locality, resolutely preventing any small group or individual from violating the law or facilitating, abetting, or covering up actions that harm the nation's image internationally.
Departments, sectors, and localities are well aware of their specific, assigned tasks. They are also proactively coordinating closely among themselves, enhancing measures to control and verify fishing vessels' departures and arrivals, ensuring consistent data across forces, control stages, and related data systems.
Additionally, all fishing vessels over 15 meters in length participating in seafood exploitation are required to depart and dock at ports using the eCDT system and utilize the electronic fishing log system as guided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. The VMS service must operate stably, without satellite errors, maintaining VMS system connectivity for all devices during peak times, especially until the fifth EC inspection team concludes its review in Vietnam.
Furthermore, strict measures are in place to address illegal fishing violations, including cases of VMS disconnection over six hours without reporting position, over ten days without returning to shore, and crossing permitted boundaries at sea. Deterrence, education, and strict handling of organizations and individuals failing their duties in public service execution are enforced.
The Department of Finance is tasked with advising on budget allocation for IUU fishing prevention, investing in fisheries infrastructure, digital transformation in the seafood sector, and sustainable fisheries development.
In the future, Ninh Binh will also focus on preventing and addressing fraudulent activities related to goods, documentation, and records in the exploitation-purchase-processing-export seafood chain. Inspections will ensure enterprises self-declare, self-report, and rectify existing issues in processing and exporting to the EU and other markets, ensuring all products meet quality standards.
Simultaneously, extensive outreach will continue to organizations and individuals involved in seafood exploitation and purchase, as well as fishing vessel owners and crew, about legal regulations against IUU fishing, enhancing each fisherman's responsibility at sea.
Quang Ngai encourages effective use of eCDT by fishermen
Quang Ngai is actively promoting the implementation of electronic seafood traceability software (eCDT) to combat IUU fishing, aiming for transparency in fisheries activities and sustainable marine economic development.
The provincial People's Committee has issued directives for departments and sectors to closely monitor fishing vessel activities and officially implement eCDT from February 15, 2026. In response, relevant functional forces have intensified efforts to educate and guide fishermen in installing, registering, and effectively using eCDT.
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| Quang Ngai is implementing various measures to prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated seafood exploitation. (Photo: Vo Hai) |
According to Deputy Director of the Provincial Fisheries and Marine Island Department Ta Ngoc Thi, using eCDT is considered a key solution to perfect the seafood traceability system, contributing to the nation's efforts to lift the "yellow card" IUU warning and laying the foundation for sustainable and integrated fisheries development.
"In the coming time, the department will continue to coordinate with port management boards, border forces, and local authorities to guide and uniformly implement eCDT throughout the entire monitoring and verification process at fishing ports in accordance with regulations; ensuring that by February 15, 2026, 100% of fishing vessels departing and docking will conduct electronic seafood traceability," shared Deputy Director Ta Ngoc Thi.
Lieutenant Nguyen Dinh Trung, Head of Sa Ky Border Control Station, stated that in the future, the station will continue to enhance inspection and control of vessels departing and docking at river mouths and fishing ports through eCDT; collaborate with port management boards and storm shelter anchorage areas to verify vessel departure and arrival data, ensuring data consistency. This contributes to improving the management efficiency of seafood exploitation activities and strictly enforcing regulations against IUU fishing.
