Prime Minister orders decisive action to remove the IUU 'yellow card'

On November 4, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired the 20^th meeting (the weekly session) of the National Steering Committee on Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.

The meeting was held at the headquarters of the Government and connected online to 21 coastal provinces and cities. Attending the session were Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, leaders of ministries and central agencies, and representatives from coastal provinces and cities.

Positive progress continues

Since the 19^th session on October 28, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE), along with relevant ministries, sectors, and localities, has been implementing the tasks assigned by the Prime Minister. According to the Ministry’s report, 23 out of 66 tasks have been completed, while 43 are being carried out on schedule.

The MAE has submitted to the Government for consideration and promulgation of a Decree amending and supplementing Decree No. 37/2024/ND-CP and Decree No. 38/2024/ND-CP on the implementation of the Law on Fisheries and the handling of administrative violations in the fisheries sector.

Fishing vessel management and monitoring of fishing activities have shown significant progress. Nationwide, 79,800 out of 79,941 fishing vessels (99.8%) have been registered and updated in the national fisheries database (VNFishbase). During the week, 370 fishing vessels were deregistered in accordance with regulations due to dismantling, sinking, or disappearance.

Also within the week, no new cases of Vietnamese fishing vessels violating foreign waters were penalized. The handling of IUU-related violations, to which the EC pays special attention, has continued to improve. According to the Ministry of Public Security, from October 1 to October 27, 2025, authorities prosecuted 19 cases involving 29 defendants. Accumulated from 2024 to October 26, 2025, 84 cases with 130 defendants were prosecuted, 43 of which, involving 88 defendants, have been brought to trial.

On November 2, 2025, Coast Guard Region 4 Command discovered, detained, and handled two fishing vessels from An Giang province for illegally storing and transporting VMS equipment belonging to other vessels in the Southwestern waters.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha noted that, following the Prime Minister’s direction, the implementation process has become "clear in tasks, clear in responsibilities, and clear in timelines." Reports presented at the meeting indicated that tasks have fundamentally been carried out, though the contents related to the fisheries database are still ongoing.

Regarding the management of unlicensed fishing vessels, the Deputy Prime Minister proposed classifying them into two groups: those pending licensing and those ineligible for licensing, both of which have been recorded and monitored by the police for each vessel and owner. For unlicensed vessels, it is necessary to specify the number under management and ensure strict control to prevent them from setting sail.

Regarding the handling of administrative violations, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha said that, along with enforcement measures, localities should apply support policies to ensure the people's livelihoods, as well as decisively handle violations still within the statute of limitations and remove cases that have expired from sanction lists.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested the MAE to take the lead in designing the architecture, management functions, operational mechanisms, and information exchange in the national fisheries database system and to complete data connection among ministries, sectors, and localities.

Determination and steadfast goal

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed the determination and steadfast goal in combating IUU fishing and lifting the EC's "yellow card." This task must be completed at any cost and cannot be prolonged any further, as it concerns the honor of the nation and the reputation of the Party, the State, and Vietnamese people in the international arena, as well as for the sustainable development of the fisheries sector, for the legitimate interests of the people, and for progress, fairness, and equality.

The Prime Minister appreciated the serious, prompt, and effective working spirit of ministries, sectors, and localities, especially the military and public security forces and the MAE. He requested all ministries, sectors, and localities to continue proactive implementation of their tasks in accordance with their functions, duties, and authority and with the "six clear" spirit: clear people, clear tasks, clear timelines, clear responsibilities, clear authority, and clear outcomes.

According to the Prime Minister, during the week, ministries, sectors, and localities have made notable progress in implementing the directives issued at previous meetings. With a decisive spirit, not leaving work unfinished, many key tasks have been completed on schedule.

However, certain issues persist. Some provinces, including An Giang, Ho Chi Minh City, Gia Lai, and Khanh Hoa, have yet to thoroughly address fishing vessels unqualified for operation. Progress on completing traceability documentation and the national fisheies database remains limited. 16 localities have not yet issued fishing licenses for all eligible vessels, notably Gia Lai (289 vessels), Dak Lak (107), Lam Dong (91), Ho Chi Minh City (379), An Giang (854), and Tay Ninh (79).

Several cases involving violations in foreign waters have yet to be fully resolved, and the transfer of case files to judicial authorities remains slow. To date, only 5 out of 22 localities, including Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, Dak Lak, Can Tho, and Vinh Long, have completed the handling of pending administrative violations related to VMS connection loss and boundary infringements.

With only a short time remaining before the EC's inspection delegation visits Vietnam, the Prime Minister demanded the fastest and most substantive actions, avoiding formality and any evasion of responsibility.

Ministries, sectors, and localities were also requested to strictly comply with resolutions, conclusions, directives, and official telegrams issued by the Party Secretariat, the Government, and the Prime Minister, particularly Official Telegram No. 198/CD-TTg dated October 17, 2025, and Decision No. 2310/QD-TTg dated October 17, 2025, on the Action Plan for the Peak Month of Combating IUU Fishing and Promoting Sustainable Development of Vietnam’s Fisheries Sector.

Stepping up maritime patrols to eliminate "three-no" fishing vessels

Regarding key tasks, the Prime Minister stressed the need to review the fleet, licensing all vessels that meet requirements, while identifying and resolving those that do not in accordance with the law, resolutely preventing unqualified vessels from operating.

The MAE is tasked with coordinating ministries, sectors, and localities to develop a technical working plan with the EC, which must be completed before November 10, 2025. The Ministry will focus on inspecting and guiding several key provinces, including An Giang, Ho Chi Minh City, Khanh Hoa, and Gia Lai, to prepare thoroughly for the EC’s fifth inspection delegation, and to replicate effective practices in other provinces. The Ministry must also maintain regular communication with the EC, provide complete and timely information, and report to the Government, the Prime Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on issues beyond its jurisdiction.

In coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Construction, the MAE will tighten control over imported seafood materials under the PSMA Agreement and via containers, ensuring that IUU-caught seafood is completely prevented from entering the Vietnamese market. The Ministry will also expand cooperation with some countries in seafood exploitation.

The Ministry of National Defense is requested to direct Viettel Group to chair and coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to urgently complete the comprehensive digitalization of managing fishing vessels and combating IUU fishing. At the same time, direct forces to strictly monitor all fishing vessels entering and leaving border control stations, and absolutely prohibit unqualified vessels from operating. Organize peak inspection campaigns against IUU activities, particularly in Southern key regions, and increase maritime patrols to eliminate “three-no” vessels (no registration, no inspection, and no fishing licenses).

The Ministry of Public Security was asked to finalize and launch a fishing vessel and fisherman management application integrated into the VNeID platform by November 10, 2025. At the same time, continue leading inspection and guidance for localities in handling IUU violations, both administrative and criminal, and accelerate investigations and case documentation for criminal prosecution of violating vessels in accordance with regulations. Investigate and verify cases of fishing vessels, fishermen, and brokers currently operating illegally in foreign waters, reporting findings to the Prime Minister by November 15, 2025.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was assigned to continue diplomatic engagement with the EC and regional countries, promptly providing information on Vietnam's anti-IUU activities and outcomes, promoting negotiations for offshore fisheries cooperation agreements, and establishing a unified mechanism for monitoring Vietnamese fishing vessels operating in overlapping waters with Malaysia. The Ministry will also collect and compile complete data on fishermen involved in IUU fishing in foreign waters who have been repatriated, so that functional agencies can take appropriate action in accordance with regulations.

Leaders of coastal provinces and cities must implement urgent and key tasks, including strict control of all fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, resolutely prohibiting unqualified or unregistered vessels from operating, and updating weekly lists of vessels at high risk of violating IUU fishing.

All existing fishing vessels in the area must be painted and labeled with registration numbers by November 15, 2025. Authorities will review, update, synchronize, and unify vessel information across the VNFishbase, VMS, VNeID databases, and the Border Guard’s vessel management system.

Traceability records for caught seafood, including fishing vessel files, fishing logs, unloading quantities at ports, and certificates of origin, must be thoroughly reviewed and verified in accordance with regulations. All fishing vessels violating VMS regulations, crossing boundaries, fishing in foreign waters, or unloading products outside ports will be strictly sanctioned.

Local authorities will intensify communication campaigns, mobilize the people, and develop occupational transition projects for fishermen, ensuring food and basic necessities during the transition period. The Government will initially provide three months of food support.

Media agencies are directed to enhance information and communication on anti-IUU fishing, highlighting exemplary fishermen, law enforcement forces, and enterprises that actively comply with IUU regulations.

Associations and businesses must strictly refrain from purchasing, processing, or exporting seafood sourced from IUU fishing, while encouraging and recognizing members and fishermen who demonstrate exemplary compliance.