QUẢNG NGÃI, Oct 1– The People’s Committee of Quảng Ngãi province on Tuesday reviewed one year of implementing a Communist Party directive to step up the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and promote sustainable fisheries development.
Vice Chairman Trần Phước Hiền, who chaired the meeting, said the province had stepped up inspections, tightened vessel management and introduced technology-based monitoring systems in line with recommendations from the European Commission (EC), which has issued Việt Nam a “yellow card” warning over IUU fishing.
The province currently has more than 4,900 fishing vessels, including 3,035 vessels measured 15 metres or longer.
Nearly all large vessels – 98.15 per cent – are now equipped with vessel monitoring systems (VMS), while authorities are closely tracking the 56 vessels that have yet to install the devices, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment.
Quảng Ngãi has also digitised data on registered vessels through the national fisheries database VNFishbase, enforced port inspections, and drawn up lists of boats not eligible for operation.
Local authorities are tasked with overseeing these vessels and ensuring they remain anchored at designated sites.
Hiền said the province has made “positive progress” in addressing EC concerns, but further efforts are needed to help Việt Nam lift the yellow card by 2025.
He called for tougher enforcement against violations, including vessels losing VMS connection, crossing maritime boundaries, or fishing illegally in foreign waters.
Local agencies and coastal districts were instructed to draw up weekly anti-IUU plans and report results, while a new task force will be established to conduct regular inspections and sanction violations.
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