Prime Minister requests to focus on implementing the peak month against IUU fishing

The meeting was held directly at the Government Headquarters, online with 21 coastal provinces and cities. Attending the meeting were comrade Tran Hong Ha - Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister; leaders of ministries, branches, central agencies, members of the IUU Steering Committee; leaders of coastal provinces and cities.

At the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee bridge, comrades: Le Hong Vinh - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Nguyen Van De - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee co-chaired.

Nghe An strengthens forces to investigate, verify, and thoroughly handle fishing boats losing VMS connection

Currently, our country is focusing its resources on urgent and key tasks and solutions to thoroughly resolve existing problems and limitations in combating IUU fishing, implementing the recommendations of the European Commission (EC) and preparing to work with the 5th EC Inspection Delegation to ensure the best results, determined to remove the "Yellow Card" warning in the upcoming inspection.

On October 17, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed Decision No. 2310/QD-TTg promulgating the "Action Plan for the peak month against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and sustainable development of Vietnam's fisheries industry.

The decision clearly states the viewpoint of launching a peak period, resolutely and thoroughly handling violations of IUU regulations; preventing and not allowing fishing vessels to illegally exploit in foreign waters; striving to have no more violations of losing VMS connection for more than 6 hours without reporting position to shore, losing connection for more than 10 days without returning the vessel to shore, or exceeding the permitted boundary for exploitation at sea by November 15, 2025.

During the peak period, the Prime Minister also pointed out urgent and key tasks and solutions including: Completing fisheries law regulations; managing fleets; controlling fishing vessel activities; tracing the origin of exploited aquatic products; enforcing the law, handling violations; at the same time, strictly controlling fishing vessels and fishermen; synchronously deploying the electronic fishing logbook system, purchasing and transporting (e-logbook) and the electronic traceability system of exploited aquatic products (eCDT) at all fishing ports.

As a locality with the largest number of fishing vessels, ranking 5th in the country, with 2,631 fishing vessels, of which 1,039 are 15m or longer, Nghe An has synchronously deployed many solutions to combat IUU fishing.

The province has completed synchronizing fishing vessel data with the population database, assigning identification and owner phone numbers to all 2,631 vessels, reaching a rate of 100%. This is an important foundation to help manage the fleet transparently, effectively, and in real time.

Law enforcement and handling of violations have been resolutely implemented by functional forces in the province, especially punishing acts of intentionally disconnecting vehicle monitoring devices (VMS).

The total number of fishing vessels of 24m or more that have lost connection since the beginning of 2024 is 373. The number of vessels verified and processed is 184 (of which 79 have been fined), with a total amount of nearly 2.8 billion VND; 105 vessels have been closed and no fines have been imposed; 189 vessels are being investigated and verified.

In addition to continuing to widely propagate and persistently change fishermen's awareness of combating IUU fishing, Nghe An continues to strengthen forces and personnel to step up investigation, verification, and thoroughly handle violations related to VMS disconnection such as: Establishing an interdisciplinary team to investigate, verify, and handle vessels that lose signals from the province's voyage monitoring equipment, chaired by the provincial Border Guard; mobilizing human resources from the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the Provincial Police, and local authorities with fishing vessels to join in.

Must create a breakthrough

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed high political determination, demonstrating the spirit of "declaring war" on illegal fishing (IUU).

“If you say you will do it, if you commit to it, you must do it. And if you do it, you must produce a product that can be weighed, measured, and quantified; don't talk too much and do too little, don't speak vaguely and then leave it at that,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

With that spirit, the head of the Government requested ministries, branches and localities to seriously implement the weekly reporting regime, ensuring that the content has clear progress each week, towards the goal of removing the EC's "yellow card".

The Prime Minister noted that, compared to the 17th Session a week ago, although there have been initial positive changes, the results achieved have not yet created a breakthrough, while this is a task that requires a breakthrough and must be completely resolved this year.

Therefore, he requested ministries, branches and localities to urgently and fully implement the conclusions and directions of the Central Government, the Government and the Prime Minister; including Official Dispatch No. 198/CD-TTg dated October 17, 2025 on the peak month of combating IUU fishing and sustainable development of Vietnam's fisheries industry, and the Action Plan for the peak month of combating IUU fishing.

Within the scope of their functions and authority, agencies must ensure substantive, effective actions with specific products in the spirit of "6 clear": clear people, clear work, clear time, clear progress, clear authority, clear responsibility; at the same time, evaluate, commend and handle responsibilities fairly and transparently. Those who do well must be rewarded and set an example. Those who do not do well must be reminded, criticized and strictly handled according to regulations.

Ministries, sectors, localities and functional forces must take more drastic measures, especially focusing on strictly managing the fleet and monitoring fishing activities; must complete licensing for all qualified fishing vessels; unqualified vessels must be resolutely stopped from operating, not licensed, and not allowed to go to sea.

For coastal localities, the Prime Minister requested to strictly implement the Central's directives and directions; clearly assign people, tasks, and responsibilities in organizing implementation.

At the same time, press and media agencies need to develop appropriate propaganda plans, both praising groups and individuals who do well, and detecting, reflecting and condemning violations for strict handling, contributing to creating substantive changes in the fight against IUU fishing.