Faced with the risk of extending the “yellow card” from the European Commission (EC), Vietnam is intensifying its efforts to strengthen the governance of the fisheries sector, by focusing on the reliability of data and more dissuasive sanctions.
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| In a fishing port in the province of Khanh Hoà (Center). |
| Photo : VNA/CVN |
Faced with the persistent threat of maintaining the EC “yellow card” regarding illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, Vietnam is making the rigorous management of maritime activities and the handling of violations a priority. To strengthen transparency and traceability in the sector, the government is preparing a new decree intended to fill legal gaps, hold stakeholders accountable and toughen sanctions in the event of serious offenses.
Data to be made reliable to act better
As of June 30, 2025, Vietnam had 81,719 registered fishing boats, including 28,164 measuring 15 m or more and equipped with VMS (satellite monitoring system) devices, representing a coverage rate of 99.06%. However, 486 vessels remain unregistered, more than 16,000 do not meet operating conditions, and around 15,000 have not updated their information in the national VNFishbase.
Each week, localities revise the lists of at-risk vessels to target inspections. The Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment also transmits alerts on boats operating near maritime borders, in order to prevent offenses by raising awareness among owners and captains.
Progress was observed in monitoring, with a clear reduction in VMS connection losses and exceedances of authorized zones. However, the number of fines remains low compared to the violations detected, due to delays in updating sanctions in the databases.
According to Trân Ðình Luân, director of the Department of Aquatic Products and Fisheries Surveillance, of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, the draft decree provides for the withdrawal of licenses for boats committing serious violations: prolonged loss of VMS connection, undeclared change of activity, repeat offenses despite sanctions. This measure aims to make owners and captains more responsible.
Empowering ship owners
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| Vietnam is deploying a coherent set of measures to develop sustainable fishing by eradicating illegal practices. |
| Photo : VNA/CVN |
The text also proposes removing the registration of vessels seized or sanctioned by foreign countries, as well as those disconnected from the VMS system over a long period. These provisions reflect a desire to tighten the regulatory framework to clean up the sector.
One sticking point raised concerns the distribution of responsibilities. Sanctions mainly target captains, while strategic decisions often rest with owners. Trân Van Huy, fisherman in Gia Lai (Center), testifies: “We are only captains. If the owner asks us to cut off the VMS, we have no choice.”
The draft decree therefore introduces stricter measures to make owners directly responsible for serious violations, in particular in the case of sending ships to foreign waters for unauthorized activities.
Phan Chi Hieu, Deputy Minister of Justice, believes that this text will help resolve the sector’s difficulties and lift the “yellow card” by the end of the year. However, it calls for an in-depth analysis of the provisions relating to the withdrawal of permits and the deletion of registrations, in order to ensure their compliance with the Constitution and the law in force before submission to the government.
Huong Nguyen – Xuan Loc/CVN
