25th Meeting of the National Steering Committee on Combating IUU Fishing

On the evening of December 9, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chaired the 25^th meeting of the National Steering Committee on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Vice Chairman of the Quảng Ngãi Provincial People’s Committee Đỗ Tâm Hiển, together with leaders of relevant departments and localities, attended the meeting from the Quảng Ngãi bridge point.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, all 79,180 fishing vessels nationwide have been registered and updated on VNFishbase (100 per cent of the target). During the week, competent forces inspected 2,901 departing vessels and 2,708 arrivals, and monitored 1,845 tons of seafood output via the eCDT system. No cases of vessels violating foreign waters were recorded.

Progress continues in handling violations related to IUU fishing, especially loss of VMS connection and boundary violations.

Ministries and telecom providers (Viettel, VNPT) have completed the digitalization and interconnection of the national fisheries monitoring database, ensuring the criteria of “accurate, complete, clean, live data.”

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính requested ministries and coastal localities to maximize efforts in addressing EC recommendations and fulfill the goal of removing the EC “yellow card.”

He emphasized that this is a crucial political task directly linked to the nation’s reputation, economic interests, and the livelihoods of fishermen.

The PM instructed coastal provinces and cities to strictly enforce vessel registration and licensing regulations; strengthen monitoring of vessel departures and arrivals; and ensure full application of the eCDT system. Vessel owners and captains must complete electronic declarations through VNeID and e-logbook.

Localities must promptly address cases of VMS disconnection and boundary violations, and resolutely prevent the occurrence of fishing in foreign waters.

All fisheries-related databases, including VNFishbase, administrative violation handling, and eCDT, must be updated fully and promptly to maintain “accurate, complete, clean, live data”, PM stressed.

Minh Thiện