IUU violations can be punishable by up to 15 years in prison

The People’s Committee of An Giang Province has intensified its communication campaign by sending text messages directly to mobile subscribers, urging boat owners, captains, and fishermen to strictly comply with laws and regulations on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Accordingly, all fishing vessels operating in seafood exploitation must be registered, inspected, and licensed in accordance with the law. Violators may face administrative fines of up to VND 1 billion.

For offshore fishing vessels (those with a maximum length of 15 meters or more), captains or vessel owners must ensure that voyage monitoring devices operate continuously, 24/7, from the time of departure to the time of return to port, to facilitate inspection and supervision.

At the same time, all organisations and individuals are strictly prohibited from allowing vessels to cross national boundaries to conduct illegal fishing in foreign waters. This is considered a particularly serious IUU violation, subject to fines of up to VND 1 billion or imprisonment of up to 15 years, as stipulated in the Criminal Code.

Authorities are intensifying communication, inspection, and strict enforcement against IUU violations to help Vietnam lift the European Commission’s “yellow card” and promote responsible, sustainable fisheries development.