Quang Ngai tightens vessel management to lift IUU 'yellow card'

Tightening fisheries control from shore to sea

According to the Quang Ngai Department of Agriculture and Environment, as of August 2026, the province had 4,863 registered fishing vessels. Of these, 4,699 vessels, or 97%, had been granted fishing licenses, while 164 vessels had either not yet obtained licenses or had licenses that had expired for more than 10 days.

The province has also continued to strengthen vessel inspection and marking. To date, 3,647 out of 3,791 fishing vessels have passed inspection and hold valid certificates, representing 96.2% of the total. Meanwhile, 100% of registered fishing vessels have been marked in accordance with regulations.

For vessels measuring 15m or more in length, Quang Ngai has issued valid food safety eligibility certificates to 2,949 out of 2,994 vessels, equivalent to 98.5%.

In addition, the province has maintained a high level of management and monitoring of fishing vessel movements. A total of 2,982/2,994 vessels have been equipped with Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS), covering 100% of vessels engaged in fishing activities and 99.6% of vessels measuring 15 meters or more. For the 12 vessels without VMS, authorities have compiled a list and sent it to relevant localities both inside and outside the province for coordinated management, ensuring that these vessels are not allowed to operate until they meet all requirements.

Alongside direct fleet management, Quang Ngai also maintains a 24/7 fishing vessel monitoring system. All registration, licensing, and inspection data are updated in the national fisheries database, VNFishbase, providing a basis for monitoring the operational status of individual vessels.

Through the monitoring system, whenever a vessel loses its VMS connection, shows signs of crossing designated boundaries, or exhibits other unusual activity at sea, the information is promptly transmitted to competent authorities and local agencies for inspection and appropriate action.

Control over fishing vessels entering and leaving ports has also been strengthened through the electronic catch documentation and traceability system (eCDT). Since the beginning of the year, the province has recorded 26,999 vessel arrivals reported to ports, of which 15,994 were inspected and monitored, with total seafood landings exceeding 21,071 tonnes.

The verification and certification of the origin of caught seafood have continued in accordance with regulations. In 2026, the Quang Ngai Fishing Port Management Board issued 42 certificates for the origin of raw seafood catch, covering a total volume of 1,165 tonnes. Meanwhile, the Fisheries and Marine Island Sub-Department issued 22 catch certificates, covering 317.8 tonnes of seafood.

Keeping high-risk vessels under close watch

Despite these results, efforts to combat IUU fishing in Quang Ngai still face several challenges. Of particular concern is the persistent risk of fishing vessels and fishermen entering foreign waters, even as VMS connectivity disruptions continue.

According to Nguyen Duc Binh, Deputy Director of the Quang Ngai Department of Agriculture and Environment, from the beginning of the year through August 3, 2026, authorities detected 100 vessels that had lost VMS connectivity for more than six hours or for more than 10 days while at sea. All of these cases have been handled.

Regarding vessels crossing maritime boundaries, authorities detected 10 vessels. Of these, four were fined, two cases were closed, and four remain under investigation. Notably, some vessels crossed significantly beyond the designated maritime boundary, posing a potential risk of entering foreign waters.

"For Quang Ngai fishing vessels operating outside the province, the Department will report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and request relevant local authorities to coordinate closely in monitoring their operations. This is intended to ensure that fishing vessels are fully monitored regardless of where they operate, leaving no gaps in management and control," Binh emphasized.

According to Mr. Do Tam Hien, Vice Chairman of the Quang Ngai Provincial People's Committee, the province has strictly implemented directives from central authorities in recent years. Departments, agencies, and law enforcement forces have taken decisive action to fulfill their assigned tasks, while fishermen's awareness of IUU fishing regulations has gradually improved.

However, Hien noted that the risk of violations remains, particularly among fishing vessels that use trawl nets and operate for extended periods without regularly returning to their home localities. To achieve the goal of having the IUU "yellow card" lifted, he requested that departments, agencies, and local authorities strictly implement the provincial People's Committee's directives and ensure equal enforcement of the law for all fishermen. In the event of violations, heads of agencies, units, and localities must be held accountable to the provincial People's Committee.

Regarding the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Hien requested that it continue advising the provincial People's Committee on comprehensive measures to combat IUU fishing and closely monitor data on the fishing fleet, high-risk vessels, vessels that do not return to their home localities, and Quang Ngai vessels operating outside the province.

"The agriculture and environment sector must also direct its subordinate agencies to strictly comply with regulations on vessel inspection and registration, fishing license issuance, and fishing port management. It must coordinate with commune-level authorities to compile complete fleet statistics and report to and propose that central agencies coordinate the management of Quang Ngai fishing vessels operating outside the province," Hien said.

He also asked the police, military, and border guard forces to study and propose measures, including, where necessary, the establishment of specialized investigations, to strictly address violations in fishing activities and strengthen deterrence.