HCMC to accelerate efforts to lift IUU yellow card

On the morning of February 28, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee convened a meeting to prepare documentation and working plans for the fifth inspection by the European Commission (EC) on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The EC inspection delegation is expected to visit Vietnam for the fifth time from March 9 to 19, 2026, to review the country’s efforts to combat IUU fishing.

Tightening control over the fishing fleet

In response to EC recommendations, Ho Chi Minh City has implemented a range of coordinated measures to manage its fishing fleet, control seafood traceability and address violations.

As of February 27, 2026, the city had 4,454 registered fishing vessels, including 2,225 vessels measuring more than 15 meters in length. All vessels have been updated in the national fisheries database (VNFishbase) and have completed registration, marking and licensing in accordance with regulations.

Since the beginning of 2024, 1,663 vessels that are no longer in operation have been removed from the registry and updated in the system to eliminate the risk of potential violations.

Regarding vessel monitoring systems (VMS), nearly 99% of the 2,225 vessels over 15 meters in length have installed tracking devices. The remaining vessels are currently docked and under close supervision. The monitoring system operates 24/7 to promptly detect vessels that lose connection or cross authorized boundaries.

The city has also compiled a list of 469 vessels that do not meet conditions for fishing operations and assigned local authorities to manage them to prevent illegal activity.

Ho Chi Minh City currently has nine designated fishing ports, four of which are authorized to certify the origin of harvested seafood. Since the beginning of 2024, more than 27,000 vessel calls have been recorded at these ports, with total landings of nearly 222,000 metric tons. Catch certification and origin verification for export purposes are conducted through a traceable chain-of-custody system to ensure complete documentation and traceability.

At the same time, law enforcement efforts have been strengthened. Hundreds of cases have resulted in administrative fines totaling significant sums. Several serious cases have been prosecuted and brought to trial, involving the removal of vessel monitoring devices, brokerage of illegal fishing operations in foreign waters, and falsification of catch origin documents.

Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Hoang Nguyen Dinh instructed departments and local authorities to thoroughly review all documentation and data to ensure accuracy, consistency and readiness for inspection upon request.

“Seafood processing and exporting enterprises must complete their traceability systems and internal control procedures, while enforcement forces must intensify patrols and strictly manage vessels that do not meet operating conditions. We are determined to prevent any new violations, contributing to the country’s efforts to have the IUU yellow card lifted as soon as possible,” Dinh said.

No complacency, ready for surprise inspections

Pham Thi Na, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Environment, emphasized the spirit guiding preparations for the EC inspection: no complacency and the highest level of readiness at all times.

“We ask enterprises to assume they will certainly be selected for inspection and prepare at the highest level. Documentation must be systematic, data must be accurate, and information must be readily retrievable upon request,” Na said.

According to Na, EC inspectors may conduct unannounced checks at enterprises, fishing ports or monitoring stations. Companies must prepare complete legal documentation, traceability records, input-output data for raw materials and internal control procedures.

The EC may review export consignments to Europe from the past two to three years, tracing them back from enterprises to fishing ports and the vessels that supplied the raw materials. Therefore, data connectivity among enterprises, ports and management authorities must be seamless and tightly coordinated.

Enforcement agencies have been instructed to fully update all administrative sanction decisions issued since 2018 into the management software system. Coastal ward and commune authorities must closely supervise vessels that do not meet operating conditions and activate 24/7 duty shifts to ensure immediate response, including outside regular working hours.

At fishing ports, port directors are required to review all catch confirmation and certification records (SC, CC), organize them chronologically and ensure they are easily retrievable. Fishermen must carry all required legal documents onboard for inspection.

“We must not allow a repeat of situations where inspectors request documents and have to wait for fishermen to return home to retrieve them,” Na stressed.

Drawing from previous inspection rounds, Na noted that EC working sessions are intensive, often extending late into the evening, with random checks at any stage of the process.

“We cannot afford complacency, even over the smallest detail. If documentation is complete, data transparent, consistently updated and explanations convincing, Ho Chi Minh City will help secure a positive assessment from the EC as part of the country’s efforts to remove the IUU yellow card,” she said.

Responsibility extends beyond the fisheries sector

Nguyen Phu Quoc, Deputy Director General of the Department of Fisheries and Surveillance, commended Ho Chi Minh City’s proactive preparations but cautioned against complacency.

According to Quoc, the European Commission’s decision to inspect Ho Chi Minh City is no coincidence. It reflects the city’s role as one of the country’s largest seafood processing and export hubs, sourcing raw materials from both domestic catches and imports.

“Enterprises must have a firm grasp of their data: annual production volumes, exports to Europe, sources of raw materials, and the output of each vessel and each port. The figures must be accurate and consistent,” Quoc emphasized.

He noted that the EC will not rely solely on reports but will verify information against evidence. When inspecting a shipment, inspectors may trace it back to the fishing vessel, port landing volumes and vessel monitoring data.

“Statements must be backed by evidence. Documentation must be logical and fully traceable throughout the supply chain,” Quoc added.

He stressed that the key to working effectively with the EC lies in data transparency, information connectivity and thorough preparation of explanation scenarios at every stage - from enterprises and fishing ports to regulatory authorities.

Concluding the meeting, Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc underscored that removing the IUU yellow card is not solely a professional task for the fisheries sector but a shared responsibility of the entire city political system.

He warned that failure to fully address the EC’s recommendations could result in the escalation to a “red card,” with serious consequences.

The economic impact would be substantial: seafood exports could be affected, businesses would face mounting difficulties, and fishermen’s livelihoods could be threatened. Even a small number of violations can have repercussions for the entire sector and the nation as a whole.

“Departments and local authorities must view this issue from a strategic perspective and treat it as an urgent task with long-term significance,” the chairman said.

Nguyen Van Duoc instructed heads of agencies and units, particularly in coastal localities, to take direct responsibility rather than delegate the work entirely to subordinates. The overarching principle, he stressed, is comprehensive preparation: complete documentation, accurate and consistent data, synchronized and verifiable information. Responsibilities must be clearly assigned, specifying individuals, tasks and timelines. Under no circumstances should there be confusion, missing documentation or conflicting data when working with the EC delegation.

The chairman emphasized that corrective measures must not be undertaken merely as a short-term response but institutionalized as regular and sustainable management practices. As the country’s leading economic center and a key export gateway, Ho Chi Minh City must take the lead in legal compliance, responsible marine governance and sustainable maritime economic development.