Ninh Binh deploys measures to fight IUU fishing in peak action month

The People’s Committee of Ninh Binh province has ordered intensified actions to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in line with the Prime Minister’s directive on the month-long campaign against IUU fishing, aiming to promote sustainable development of the fisheries sector.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Anh Dung said the province has instructed the Department of Agriculture and Environment to coordinate with relevant agencies to propose policies for occupational transition and decommissioning of fishing vessels that no longer operate, and to support the replacement and maintenance of vessel monitoring system (VMS) devices in accordance with Decree No. 37/2024/ND-CP. All vessels are required to maintain 24-hour VMS connection, even when anchored.

Authorities will assign personnel to conduct inspections, upgrade IT infrastructure, and ensure data updates to the electronic catch documentation and traceability (eCDT) system and digital fishing logbooks. All fishing vessels must be properly registered, licensed, and entered into the national fisheries database (VNFishbase) and linked with the VNeID citizen system.

“Three No's” boats those lacking registration, fishing licenses, or inspection certificates will be relocated to designated anchor zones under commune management and prohibited from going to sea. Seafood buyers, processors, and ports are required to monitor catch volumes and traceability records via eCDT and apply a unified electronic traceability system by October 30.

Ninh Binh will strengthen fisheries inspection forces, repair and equip patrol boats, and strictly handle violations related to VMS disconnection, boundary breaches, and illegal fishing in foreign waters.

The provincial Border Guard Command, police, and relevant agencies will control vessel departures and arrivals, oversee unloading at unregistered private ports, and synchronise data across VNeID, border control, e-logbook, and eCDT systems.

From January 1 to October 1, local authorities processed 7,281 electronic catch traceability records, up 309 from late September, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment.

Between September 1 and 5, 12 fishing vessels were deregistered due to transfers or sinking, and a list of vessels at high risk of IUU fishing violations was also compiled.