A top priority

In the early days of spring, fishing ports across the country are once again bustling with the energetic rhythm of labour, as fishermen set out with hopes for a prosperous and safe fishing season.

Fishing vessels that sailed throughout the Lunar New Year holiday are now returning home with holds full of fish and shrimp and the joy of family reunions.

Red flags with yellow stars flying atop the cabins once again flutter strongly in the sea breeze, symbolising hopes for a new fishing season and a shared determination to strictly comply with regulations against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Setting sail in the first days of the Lunar New Year has become a cherished tradition among fishermen, bearing special meaning.

Dao Van Vu, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of the Van Don special administrative zone, Quang Ninh Province emphasised that all fishing vessels leaving port must declare their activities on the National Fisheries Database System (VNFishbase) and maintain the connection of their Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) devices to ensure that economic development goes hand in hand with the fight against IUU fishing.

Removing the “yellow card” has also become a shared determination among fishermen. Nguyen Van Tuan, a fisherman in the Van Don special administrative zone, said that those who head out to sea have already agreed not to violate IUU regulations or encroach upon foreign waters for short-term gains. Although the profit from each fishing trip is important, it cannot compare with the country’s reputation and the long-term goal of sustainable fisheries development.

March is also the peak season for the northern fishing grounds, when fishing fleets across the country operate at their busiest. With abundant fish beneath the water and large numbers of vessels at sea, the EC inspection team will pay particular attention to potential violations, as this is the time when monitoring becomes most difficult and serious IUU violations are most likely to occur.

According to plans, the EC inspection team will conduct field inspections in Ho Chi Minh City and several coastal localities nationwide in March. As a result, authorities in many provinces and cities engaged in fisheries exploitation have launched intensive inspection campaigns to ensure compliance with regulations on combating IUU fishing.

The final sprint

Determined to achieve the best possible outcome in the effort to remove the IUU “yellow card”, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien emphasised that authorities must take stronger measures and strictly handle violating fishing vessels—“pursuing cases to the end and imposing heavy penalties” to create a strong deterrent effect.

Management of fishing fleets operating at sea must be tightened, while documentation must be fully prepared to welcome the EC delegation. From now until March 10 is considered a “final sprint”, requiring decisive participation from the entire political system to help the country remove the “yellow card” warning.

Ho Chi Minh City has a large fishing fleet and extensive fishing grounds and borders waters shared with several neighbouring countries, making patrol and control of IUU fishing activities highly challenging and complex. However, thanks to the close and determined involvement of Party committees, local authorities and the strong cooperation of fishermen, the fight against IUU fishing in the city has achieved positive results.

Notably, legal awareness campaigns on IUU fishing prevention have been widely implemented with creative initiatives such as “Morning coffee with fishermen” and “Mock court sessions”. These efforts have significantly raised fishermen’s sense of responsibility and played an important role in tackling IUU fishing at its roots.

Pham Thi Na, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City, said that as of February 24 the city had more than 4,400 registered fishing vessels. All of them have been updated in VNFishbase and synchronised with the national population database through the VNeID system. In terms of monitoring activities at sea, more than 2,200 vessels measuring 15 metres or longer have installed VMS equipment. Notably, since the beginning of 2026, no fishing vessels from the city have crossed maritime boundaries or lost signal connections for more than 10 days.

Preparing for the EC inspection, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang said the ministry is coordinating with other ministries, sectors and especially local authorities to intensify inspections, review documentation and prepare thoroughly, with the determination to achieve the best possible outcome in removing the “yellow card” warning for the fisheries sector.

The minister affirmed that, in line with the directives of the Secretariat and the Prime Minister, local leaders will bear full responsibility if errors occur, if inaccurate data are provided or if fishing vessels violating regulations are not strictly managed. The results of this inspection will determine whether the “yellow card” is lifted or whether the warning may escalate to a “red card”.

Lieutenant General Le Quang Dao, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People’s Army, also stated that military forces are maintaining strict patrols and surveillance at sea in order to promptly detect violations and warn of fishing vessels at risk of encroaching upon foreign waters.

After more than eight years of persistent efforts, Viet Nam’s fisheries sector has made significant progress and reforms, from improving the legal framework and managing fishing fleets to ensuring seafood traceability and strengthening law enforcement.

However, the fight against IUU fishing still faces several shortcomings, particularly in managing and controlling vessels that do not meet operational requirements and in thoroughly addressing violations. There are still cases of vessels crossing maritime boundaries and fishing in foreign waters. As a result, despite four inspections by the EC over the past eight years, Viet Nam has yet to have the “yellow card” lifted.

From now until the EC inspection team arrives in Viet Nam is considered a “golden period” for the fisheries sector, ministries, sectors and local authorities to decisively complete urgent and critical tasks assigned by the Prime Minister, aiming to successfully achieve the goal of removing the IUU “yellow card” and developing a modern, responsible and internationally integrated fisheries industry.