Binh Thuan (VNA) - The People’s Committee of the south-central province of Binh Thuan has issued an urgent document requiring all relevant agencies and localities to intensify efforts to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The move comes in preparation for the fifth inspection by the European Commission (EC) following its issuance of a “yellow card” warning over Vietnam’s fishing practices.

In the document, the committee tasked the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, the Border Guard Command, Public Security Department, Sub-Department of Fisheries, Seas and Islands, port authorities, and local People’s Committees with the strict and full implementation of anti-IUU measures as directed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

Authorities have been directed to gather resources and coordinate across all relevant forces to prevent local fishing vessels from venturing into foreign waters illegally.

Coastal districts and functional agencies must also tighten oversight of the province’s fishing fleet, ensuring that no new vessels are added without authorisation and that all transactions involving the sale, transfer, or change of vessel ownership strictly comply with existing regulations.

Key tasks include completing vessel registration and licensing, updating the national fisheries database, and enforcing a ban on unqualified boats - those that are unregistered, unlicensed, or have no vessel monitoring system (VMS) - from going out to sea. A round-the-clock monitoring system is in place to track vessels and prevent breaches.

The province is tightening oversight of high-risk individuals and communities with past violations, with increased scrutiny and enforcement efforts by the border guard and police. Authorities are targeting violations like VMS disconnections and illegal entry into foreign waters. Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has been tasked with coordinating preparations for the EC inspection, including documentation, inter-agency alignment, and resource allocation.

Preventing local boats and fishermen from infringing on foreign waters remains a top priority. Over 170 high-risk vessels have been identified for close monitoring. Thanks to round-the-clock supervision by the provincial fisheries monitoring centre, no violations by Binh Thuan-based vessels have been recorded since February 2023.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the province has now completed registration for all “three-no” fishing boats - vessels without registration, licences or monitoring systems - measuring six metres or more. As of now, 2,710 such vessels have been registered, meeting 100% of the ministry’s requirements. Additionally, 2,012 operational vessels have been fitted with VMS devices.

Fishing ports across the province have also stepped up compliance, meticulously recording vessel movements, monitoring seafood landings, and ensuring full traceability of marine products. In the first quarter of 2025, nearly 12,500 vessel entries and exits were recorded, nearly 6,000 tonnes of seafood were supervised during unloading, and over 4,200 fishing logs and transaction records were collected./.