Deputy PM orders thorough resolution of EC's IUU advisory

On March 27, at a meeting on tasks and solutions to prevent and combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha requested clear identification and resolution of the issues raised by the EC's IUU inspection delegation after its working visit to Viet Nam from March 10 to 19. The meeting was connected via videoconference with 22 coastal provinces and cities, as well as Tay Ninh province.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that although the EC's IUU inspection delegation acknowledged Viet Nam's efforts, inspections at localities revealed shortcomings and weaknesses that have lasted for many years. "These shortcomings are well known to us, without new issues, yet wherever inspections take place, issues continue to arise," said the Deputy Prime Minister.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the meeting was not intended for explanation but to focus on the remediation process and preparation for the next working session with the EC. Accordingly, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment must identify the issues raised by the EC's IUU inspection delegation and develop a handling plan by grouping matters that require explanation and those that must be addressed.

Relevant ministries, sectors, the Steering Committee, and localities are required to simultaneously implement solutions, update data, and finalize reports to be submitted to the EC in a more convincing manner. Shortcomings must be addressed according to specific timelines (short-term, medium-term, and long-term), particularly those that can be resolved before April 19, when the EC issues its official report.

4 key recommendation groups

Reporting at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien said the EC's IUU inspection delegation had provided preliminary assessments and recommendations on Viet Nam's fight against IUU fishing across four groups of issues.

Regarding the legal framework, the EC inspection delegation recommended supplementing penalties such as revocation of fishing licenses and confiscation of fishing vessels for serious violations, classifying acts such as removing seals, tampering with lead seals, and dismantling or transferring vessel monitoring system (VMS) equipment as serious violations, and imposing the highest level of penalties for such violations to ensure deterrence.

Regarding vessel monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS), the EC recommended that all registered fishing vessels engaged in fishing activities must display registration numbers and markings in accordance with regulations, including those currently docked and not operating. It also called for strengthened interdisciplinary coordination in inspecting and controlling vessels entering and leaving ports and operating at sea in order to prevent and strictly handle IUU violations.

Regarding traceability of harvested seafood, the EC recommended strict control of both domestically harvested and imported seafood products from ports to enterprises and through to export, particularly containerized seafood products. At the same time, conduct inspections on traceability at enterprises to detect and handle violations involving the use of illegally sourced seafood.

In law enforcement and violation handling, the EC recommended accelerating the handling of violating fishing vessels; prioritizing administrative sanctions for IUU violations to ensure deterrence and strict enforcement; standardizing information and data on IUU violations among ministries, sectors, and localities; and establishing mechanisms to monitor, supervise, and address delays in law enforcement at the local level.

At the meeting, leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Tay Ninh province, and Dak Lak province provided explanations and clarified the prominent shortcomings and limitations identified by the EC inspection delegation. These shortcomings included fishing vessels violating foreign waters; vessels not engaged in fishing but still certified by ports for catch volumes; cases of vessels losing signal without synchronous handling; incomplete identification of violations, slow handling, and insufficiently strong sanctions, largely limited to administrative penalties; discrepancies between documentation and actual goods, especially for imported raw materials; and inconsistencies between central and local data.

Lieutenant General Le Quang Dao, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army, proposed assigning a single focal point to handle administrative sanctions related to loss of connection of VMS equipment in order to avoid overlapping jurisdiction and prolonged processing when multiple forces handle the same violation. He also called for a comprehensive review, investigation, and accurate updating of fishing vessel data to ensure strict management without omissions. The Ministry of National Defense proposed the expansion of VMS installation requirements to vessels from 12 meters to under 15 meters in length to strengthen monitoring and prevent violations in foreign waters.

Tightening fleet management, preventing violations early and from afar

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha requested ministries, sectors, and localities to continue implementing measures in a drastic, responsible, constructive, and straightforward manner to address the shortcomings raised by the EC inspection delegation. He agreed on fully recording all issues identified by the EC delegation while requesting ministries and sectors to proactively review and supplement emerging practical issues. Particular attention should be paid to vessels from 12 meters to under 15 meters in length, which are not yet fully managed and pose a high risk of violations. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is tasked with studying and proposing the expansion of VMS installation subjects to ensure management of all vessels from 12 meters and above.

Regarding inspection and monitoring at sea, the Deputy Prime Minister stressed the need to shift from a passive approach to proactive prevention. All cases of fishing vessels detected to cross the maritime boundary of Viet Nam into foreign waters via the VMS system must be identified as violations and promptly notified, recorded, and handled based on data, regardless of whether the vessels have been captured. In cases of repeat violations or serious circumstances, criminal proceedings should be considered. The Ministry of National Defense is assigned to take the lead in coordinating and unifying the direction of maritime enforcement forces and to proactively organize inspections, prevention, and timely handling of violations as soon as they are detected through data.

Regarding the completion of administrative sanctioning regulations associated with fleet management, the Deputy Prime Minister agreed to fully supplement missing violations, particularly those related to the sale and transfer of vessels without sufficient legal conditions and violations concerning vessel identification, numbering, and markings. Violation handling must be carried out promptly and within proper authority, avoiding prolonged backlogs as seen in the past.

Regarding data systems and inter-agency coordination, the Deputy Prime Minister requested an urgent review and completion of fisheries databases to ensure they are "accurate, sufficient, clean, and live" and updated timely and synchronously across agencies.

Maritime enforcement forces are required to strengthen coordination and proactively prevent violations from early stages and from afar, avoiding the emergence of multiple cases that could affect overall outcomes. On that basis, ministries, sectors, and localities are urged to maximize responsibility, enhance coordination, and effectively implement solutions, striving for the early removal of the EC's "yellow card" warning.