Ninh Binh takes drastic actions to have EC’s “yellow” card against seafood exports lifted

Tightening management, raising awareness of fishing community

Strictly implementing Directive No. 32-CT/TW of the Secretariat and the directions of the Government and Prime Minister, the People's Committee of Ninh Binh province has issued a series of documents directing departments, sectors and coastal localities, requiring heads of Party committees and authorities to take responsibility if violations of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing occur.

The Provincial Steering Committee for IUU Fishing Prevention and Control was established, playing a core role in coordinating, inspecting, and handling violations.

Immediately after the mergence of administrative units, the province reviewed the data on offshore fishing license quotas to strictly control offshore fishing activities in accordance with the provisions of the Fisheries Law.

Along with that, training courses were organised and disseminated to officials and fishermen about the law and regulations against IUU.

100% of ship owners signed a commitment not to violate, especially not to illegally exploit in foreign waters, which is a key factor in overcoming the EC's recommendations.

The management of fishing vessels was carried out seriously, all 1,370 vessels with a length of 6m or more were registered and updated with national fisheries data (Vnfishbase); 97.96% were granted fishing licenses; 99.33% of vessels 15m or longer are equipped with a vessel monitoring system (VMS).

Vessels that do not meet the operating conditions are gathered at a centralised anchorage area, listed in the community and closely monitored to prevent illegal sailing.

Inspection and handling of violations are carried out regularly and seriously. From October 1, 2023 to July 31, 2025, the whole province has handled 462 violations, fined over 8.12 billion VND; the act of losing VMS connection for more than 6 hours was severely handled, creating a clear deterrent, helping to reduce the rate of repeat violations.

Monitoring of port output has also made progress: in the first seven months of 2025, 3,023 vessels were inspected, 7,400 tonnes of aquatic products were monitored. The electronic traceability system (eCDT) has been applied, allowing strict control from the time the ship arrives at the port, unloads the goods until consumption, creating a transparent information platform, a key requirement of the EC.

Overcoming existing problems

Despite positive changes, the fight against IUU fishing in Ninh Binh has still faced structural and infrastructural limitations. The situation of ships losing connection to VMS for more than 6 hours while operating at sea has not been thoroughly handled; monitoring of output through private fishing ports and traditional ports is not synchronous; some ships have not yet docked at designated ports, fishing logs and reports are still lacking.

To overcome these problems and best prepare for the 5th inspection by the EC, Ninh Binh has developed a systematic action plan, combining both administrative management measures and applying technology and tightening law enforcement.

First of all, the province has focused on reviewing and classifying the entire fleet, especially those that are not qualified to operate, to gather them in centralized anchorage areas, apply strict management and guide ship owners to carry out procedures to delist “three no” ships.

At the same time, patrolling and monitoring at sea were strengthened, prioritising close coordination between border guards, fisheries control and local authorities to promptly detect and handle violations through the VMS journey monitoring system.

One of the highlights is the strict handling of cases of intentionally not maintaining VMS connection, especially for the group of ships with the largest length of 24m or more - the subject of special attention from the EC. At the same time, the province continued to promote the application of eCDT software to manage the entire process from when the ship enters and leaves the port, collects logs and reports on exploitation, to monitoring the unloading output, ensuring that data is updated into the national fishing vessel management system Vnfishbase. This is a key tool to make the supply chain transparent, meet the requirements for certification and confirmation of exploited seafood according to international standards.

These solutions will gradually establish a modern, transparent and responsible fisheries management mechanism; minimize the risk of recurrence of violations; enhance the reputation of Ninh Binh and Vietnamese seafood in the international market.

When the "yellow card" is removed, the seafood industry will not only restore access to the EU market but also expand opportunities for official exports to other demanding markets, while helping fishermen feel secure at sea, developing the economy in conjunction with protecting sustainable aquatic resources.