Gia Lai fishers embrace transparent fishing operations

Support policies for fishers

Before the provincial merger, Gia Lai Province had, since 2020, piloted the use of electronic fishing logbooks on a number of local fishing vessels. It was the first locality in Viet Nam to adopt electronic fishing logbooks. As part of its commitment to helping the country address the European Commission's IUU "yellow card," the former Bình Định authorities approved the deployment of 100 electronic fishing logbook devices on 100 vessels engaged in offshore tuna fishing.

Following the pilot phase, on 11 June, the Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee issued Official Letter No. 7802/UBND-NNMT, formally requiring the use of the electronic fishing logbook system for all fishing vessels subject to mandatory catch logbook regulations. The policy was introduced pursuant to a proposal from the Gia Lai Department of Agriculture and Environment in Official Letter No. 6266/SNNMT-TS dated 10 June 2026.

According to Cao Thanh Thuong, Director of the Gia Lai Department of Agriculture and Environment, the official rollout of the electronic fishing logbook system is intended to strengthen fisheries management, improve the traceability of harvested seafood, accelerate digital transformation in the fisheries sector, enhance the effectiveness of state management, and contribute to efforts to combat IUU.

According to Cao Thanh Thuong, the Gia Lai Department of Agriculture and Environment has been assigned by the Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee to lead and coordinate with relevant departments, agencies and local authorities in implementing the electronic fishing logbook system, while providing guidance to fishers on its proper use in accordance with regulations.

"The Department will also continue to monitor and evaluate the system's performance, promptly identify and consolidate any difficulties or challenges arising during implementation, and report them to the competent authorities for consideration and resolution," he said.

In addition, the Department is working with relevant agencies to review data connectivity and sharing between the electronic fishing logbook system and other sectoral management systems. It is also stepping up communications, training programmes for fishers, and the implementation of subsidy policies for service subscription fees in accordance with existing regulations.

To support fishers in the digital transformation process, Gia Lai Province has introduced several practical assistance measures. During the 2026-2027, each fishing vessel measuring 15 metres or longer will receive a subsidy of VND 330,000 per month toward the subscription fee for its vessel monitoring system (VMS). In addition, around 4,000 fishing vessels measuring 12 metres or longer that use the electronic fishing logbook system will receive VND 200,000 per month in financial support, helping vessel owners reduce operating costs.

Fishers become familiar with the system

Le Thi Lan, a fisher from Lam Truc 2 Quarter in Hoai Nhon Ward, Gia Lai Province, owns four fishing vessels with engine capacities ranging from 700 to 755 horsepower, all engaged in offshore tuna fishing. Since mid-March 2026, all of her vessels have been issued user accounts and have been operating under the electronic fishing logbook system.

According to Ms. Lan, keeping paper logbooks was previously time-consuming, prone to errors, and difficult to preserve in harsh offshore conditions. Recording catch information while working on rough seas was particularly challenging. With the electronic application, however, all data are updated throughout the fishing voyage from departure to landing resulting in more accurate record-keeping and significantly reducing the administrative burden on fishers.

Tran Be, owner of fishing vessel BĐ 97747 TS based in Quy Nhon Ward, Gia Lai Province, said: "We fishers are skilled at working hard at sea, but naturally we were unfamiliar with new technology at first. It took some getting used to, but after using the system for a while, I've become quite proficient with it."

According to Tran Van Vinh, Deputy Head of the Gia Lai Fisheries Sub-Department, fishers in the province previously filled out their catch logbooks only after returning to port and selling their catch, relying on memory to reconstruct where they had fished. Because records were not kept in real time, the information was often incomplete or inaccurate. The introduction of manual trip-by-trip logbooks improved the work of fisheries authorities in verifying and certifying the origin of seafood catches. Now, with fishers widely adopting electronic fishing logbooks, the process has become even more efficient thanks to the greater accuracy and reliability of digitally recorded data.

According to Nguyen Huu Nghia, Head of the Gia Lai Fisheries Sub-Department, the province has completed the standardization of its fishing vessel database and synchronized it with the national population database, laying the foundation for a modern fisheries management system that ensures data accuracy and interoperability.

Notably, the provincial fisheries sector has also introduced an intelligent fishing vessel alert system that enables real-time monitoring and automatically issues alerts when a vessel loses its signal or crosses authorized fishing boundaries. This allows vessel owners to respond promptly, reduce the risk of violations, and strengthen compliance with fisheries regulations.

"Alongside the application of technological solutions, fishers' awareness of legal compliance has improved significantly. Avoiding fishing in prohibited waters and refraining from encroaching into foreign waters is increasingly becoming a matter of self-discipline. This provides an important foundation for gradually lifting the IUU 'yellow card' while building a transparent, responsible and sustainable fisheries sector in the context of international integration," Mr. Nghia said.

$ 1 = VND 26,466 - Source: Vietcombank.