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| Officers from Thanh Hai Border Guard Station (Phu Thuy ward, Lam Dong province) patrol and monitor fishing vessels entering and leaving the port__Photo: VNA |
The central province of Lam Dong is stepping up its fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by taking 10 key measures aimed at addressing recommendations from the European Commission (EC).
The province's action plan follows the EC's fifth inspection of Vietnam's efforts to combat IUU fishing, Standing Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Le Trong Yen said on August 25.
The measures target key gaps, including ineligible fishing vessels, port controls, electronic fishing-trip data, seafood traceability and vessel monitoring system (VMS) violations. Authorities will also act against vessels detained by foreign authorities, submit weekly progress reports and draw up specific action plans.
Lam Dong has declared IUU fishing prevention an urgent and especially important political task, demanding decisive action and clear accountability of agencies and localities. Heads of agencies, units and localities will be held directly responsible for the progress and results of their assigned tasks.
A top priority is to completely stop local fishing vessels from entering foreign waters illegally. Authorities will investigate violations and hold vessel owners, captains and other responsible parties accountable.
Fishing vessels will face tighter controls before leaving port, with particular attention to crew members and vessels showing signs of violations. Lam Dong will also work with Border Guard and maritime law enforcement forces in neighbouring provinces to monitor local vessels operating outside the province and in adjacent waters.
The province currently has 8,177 fishing vessels, all registered in the national VNFishbase database. However, compliance gaps remain.
Of 3,868 vessels measuring 12 metres or more, 3,397, or 87.82 per cent, have valid registration certificates. Some 7,462 of the province's 8,177 vessels measuring six metres or more, or 91.25 per cent, hold valid fishing licences.
Among 1,902 vessels measuring 15 metres or more, 1,733, or 91.11 per cent, have valid food safety certificates, while 1,891, or 99.42 per cent, are equipped with vessel monitoring systems.
The biggest challenge is the 953 vessels currently deemed ineligible to operate. Authorities are investigating their status, particularly vessels that have changed hands without updated records.
Of these, 388 vessels cannot be accounted for, having been sold, sunk, become inactive or otherwise disappeared from official records. They include 19 sold outside the province, 51 sold within the province, 152 with unclear sale locations, 23 sunk vessels, 26 facing legal issues, 58 no longer operating and 59 whose owners are absent from their registered localities.
Lam Dong is intensifying efforts to close these gaps and eliminate IUU fishing violations, joining the national push to have the EC's “yellow card” lifted in 2026 and build a transparent, responsible and sustainable fisheries sector.- (VNA/VLLF)
