Communes and wards with fishing vessels must handle IUU violations from shore

Determined to join the nationwide effort to remove the European Commission’s (EC) “yellow card,” the Can Tho city people’s committee has required all communes and wards with fishing vessels operating in their areas to inspect and monitor fishing activities strictly, and to promptly prevent and handle any illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing violations right from the shore.

To be more specific, local authorities review and maintain a clear record of the number of fishing vessels in their area, inspect and monitor vessels that do not meet the operational conditions, and absolutely prevent such vessels from sailing out to sea. Those that are not qualified for operation must have their fishing gear removed, while photos and the mooring positions of these vessels must be documented weekly for monitoring by relevant agencies.

The city People’s Committee also instructs the Department of Agriculture and Environment to monitor and manage each fishing vessel and fisherman at high risk of violating foreign waters. At the same time, local authorities must assign officials to oversee individual or groups of high-risk vessels and fishermen, in order to communicate, encourage, and prevent IUU fishing violations both onshore and at sea.

Fisheries officers at the commune and ward level are required to actively access and use data from the vessel monitoring system (VMS). They need to update daily lists of vessels that lose VMS connection or operate near the permitted boundary, so they can contact and encourage fishermen to protect their legitimate fishing rights while reminding them not to disable VMS devices or fish beyond authorized areas, ensuring compliance with IUU regulations.

With the motto “Decisive action, strict control, coordinated efforts - active emulation,” Can Tho city seeks to mobilize the combined strength of the entire political system to take a firm stance against IUU fishing.

As of August 8, Can Tho city had 797 registered fishing vessels recorded in the Vnfishbase system, with a total capacity of 210,377 CV. Among them, 347 vessels with lengths of 15 meters or more (total capacity of 185,945 CV) have been equipped with VMS devices, along with 58 service vessels supporting the fishing industry. All have been granted fishing licenses. Authorities have drawn up five violation reports related to loss of VMS connection at sea. Upon verification, 16 vessels were found to have lost connection, and five administrative fines were issued, totaling VND 113.25 million.

Efforts to raise awareness about preventing IUU fishing continue to be strengthened. As of September 3, relevant agencies had directly disseminated information to 3,536 vessel owners and captains while processing port entry and exit procedures, corresponding to 1,410 port arrivals and 2,126 departures. The ultimate goal is to enhance understanding and reinforce commitments to comply with IUU regulations in fishing activities.