Fishermen in Nghe An are embracing the digital transformation of the fishing industry.

The changes started on the phone.

The Lạch Quèn fishing port is busier than usual these days. While the crew members are busily bringing trays of fresh fish ashore, old fisherman Bùi Văn Khẩn from Quỳnh Phú commune, owner of fishing boat NA 99988 TS, sits in a small corner of the port office, his eyes glued to his phone screen.

No longer needing notebooks to record voyages or production figures, Mr. Khẩn now only needs a few clicks on the eCDT VN software to complete import and export declarations, update production figures, and track voyages.

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At first, I struggled a lot, pressing the wrong button repeatedly. Thanks to the port staff's guidance, I finally got used to it. Now, filling out the form is very quick, saves time, and is much clearer.

Fisherman Bui Van Khan, Quynh Phu commune

On the sun-tanned face of the man who has spent half his life at sea, pride is clearly visible. For him and many other fishermen, learning to use a smartphone is not just a new skill; it's a transformation to keep pace with the development of modern fishing.

Similarly, veteran fisherman Ho Van Thinh, owner of fishing vessel NA 90423 TS, has gradually become familiar with the reporting app on his phone without even realizing it. From the habit of reporting voyage logs using a notebook, he learned how to touch the screen, enter trip data, update coordinates, routes, catch... directly on the app. Many other fishermen who were previously confused when opening the application are now proficient enough to guide their crewmates.

According to the fishermen, the journey was not easy because they had long relied almost entirely on experience and habit. Older fishermen, who were only used to observing the tides, searchlights, or the stars, took a whole year to learn how to read digital maps, check wind direction on apps, and keep fishing logs using their phones.

As the locality with the largest number of offshore fishing vessels in the province, Tan Mai ward has 110 fishing boats over 20 meters in length and nearly 60 boats under 20 meters in length. According to Mr. Phan Van Hai - Chairman of the Quynh Lap Fisheries Association, by this time, all fishing boat owners have applied the eCDT VN software. This application helps functional agencies monitor fishing vessels more conveniently, and fishermen no longer have to declare port entry and exit using paper documents as before.

A Lạch Quèn fishing port official shared: "Many elderly fishermen are still diligently learning to use the application. Some initially had shaky hands and pressed the wrong buttons repeatedly, but now they use it proficiently. These small changes demonstrate the commendable efforts of the fishing community in the digital transformation journey."

Transparency in fishing operations

Behind the seemingly small actions of fishermen lies a strategic shift. For many years, the European Commission's "yellow card" has been a hindrance, hindering Vietnamese seafood from gaining traction in the international market. The implementation of the eCDT VN software is seen as a crucial key to overcoming IUU (Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated) fishing and increasing transparency in fishing operations.

Nghe An currently has over 3,400 fishing vessels, of which 1,043 are over 12 meters in length. This is a crucial force in offshore fishing operations. Positive data from the Nghe An Fishing Port Management Board shows that after nearly a year of implementing the eCDT VN application, authorities have issued 1,060 accounts to fishing vessels over 12 meters in length. The data also indicates that since the application of the eCDT VN software, there have been 6,173 vessel departures and 5,302 vessel arrivals, with a seafood volume exceeding 21,000 tons.

The eCDT VN application also plays a very important role in ensuring transparency throughout the entire process, from the ship's departure and fishing activities at sea to its arrival at port, where it is verified by relevant authorities as having complied with all legal regulations.

Thanks to eCDT VN, the process of verifying and certifying the origin of seafood, which used to take hours with stacks of lengthy paperwork, has been significantly streamlined. Electronic data enables management units such as the Fisheries Sub-Department, Border Guard, and Port Management Boards to monitor vessel information in real time, leading to more proactive supervision and reduced risk of violations. These changes, though small, ensure transparency and clarity of information, which is a prerequisite for lifting the "yellow card" and gradually integrating more deeply into the international market.

The deadline for lifting the European Union's yellow card is fast approaching. In this tight timeframe, seemingly small electronic actions are yielding significant results. Through these actions, fishermen in Nghe An are contributing to the quiet and sustainable modernization of the fishing industry. It is hoped that, in the coming time, with the involvement of the entire political system and the concerted efforts of the fishermen, the lifting of the European Union's yellow card will yield positive results. The fishing industry will also enter a new, more transparent, efficient, and sustainable era.

Xuan Hoang