Hanoi, November 12, 2025 – The Europe Today: Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has directed ministries, agencies, and coastal localities to address within one week the specific issues of concern raised by the European Commission (EC), in an effort to have the “yellow card” warning on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing lifted this year.
The Prime Minister made the request while chairing the 21st meeting of the National Steering Committee for Combating IUU Fishing on Tuesday. The meeting, which was connected via teleconference with 21 coastal provinces and cities, reviewed progress made under the month-long national crackdown on IUU fishing.
Prime Minister Chính underscored that the fight against IUU fishing is a matter of national dignity, reputation, and strategic interest, emphasizing that it requires a determined and comprehensive approach combining education, management, and sustainable livelihood development. He called for close coordination among ministries, sectors, and localities, and for consolidated reporting on the EC’s outstanding concerns.
A report presented at the meeting indicated continued progress following the conclusions of the 20th session. Ministries and localities have completed 31 of 66 assigned tasks—an increase of eight compared to the previous week—while implementation of the remaining 35 tasks is underway as planned.
Local authorities have strengthened enforcement by forming specialized task forces to patrol, monitor, and handle vessels violating foreign waters. They have also integrated vessel monitoring data with the seafood traceability system, accelerated investigations into IUU violations, updated vessel information in the national identification system (VnEID), and taken action against those falsifying documents.
Significant improvements were reported in vessel management and monitoring, with 99.9 per cent of nearly 80,000 fishing vessels now registered in the national fisheries database. Local governments have classified ineligible vessels and placed them under monitoring and control measures to prevent unauthorized fishing.
Law enforcement also showed progress: eight out of 22 coastal localities have resolved administrative violations related to vessel monitoring system (VMS) disconnections or boundary breaches. Legal proceedings have been initiated in two new criminal cases, bringing the total to 23 cases involving 31 individuals since October 1.
While acknowledging weekly improvements, the Prime Minister expressed dissatisfaction with the incomplete management of vessels, insufficient handling of VMS disconnections, lack of integration between resident, vessel, and fisheries data, and delays in revising the decree on fisheries-related penalties.
Prime Minister Chính emphasized that heads of ministries and local governments bear full responsibility for any recurrence of violations or delays in removing the EC “yellow card.” He instructed authorities to intensify the crackdown on “catch-at-all-cost” practices, ensure traceable and responsible fishing, and address the EC’s remaining concerns—particularly regarding unregistered, ineligible, and VMS-disconnected vessels, as well as seafood origin control—within the next week.
He further directed ministries, agencies, and localities to disseminate the Government’s stance to all officials and Party members, reaffirming Việt Nam’s determination to eliminate IUU fishing and achieve removal of the EC’s warning in 2025.
Prime Minister Chính urged strict implementation of the Party and Government’s directives, including Decision No. 2310/QĐ-TTg (dated October 17, 2025) on the month-long IUU fishing crackdown and sustainable fisheries development, along with the inter-agency coordination regulations.
He also instructed that all fisheries databases—including Vnfishbase, VMS data, administrative violation records, and the electronic catch documentation and traceability system (eCDT)—must be updated accurately and systematically.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in coordination with the Ministry of National Defence, was assigned to immediately enforce the inter-agency coordination mechanisms. Coastal provinces and cities were directed to intensify oversight, maintain weekly updates on high-risk vessels, and ensure comprehensive implementation of anti-IUU fishing measures.
The Prime Minister ordered the 14 localities yet to complete work on VMS disconnection and boundary breach violations to finalise the process by November 16, 2025, holding responsible individuals and organizations accountable.
He also demanded the prompt completion of 19 ongoing tasks, full updating of fisheries databases, and strict penalties for violating vessels.
Prime Minister Chính urged fisheries associations and enterprises to refrain from purchasing, processing, or exporting seafood linked to IUU activities, and to encourage members and fishermen to comply with national and international regulations, thereby contributing to sustainable fisheries development and the protection of Việtnam’s global trade reputation.
