An interagency delegation assessed Ho Chi Minh City’s efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing on September 5, as the city works with the rest of the country to have the European Commission’s yellow card warning lifted in 2026.
On September 5, an interagency delegation from the national Steering Committee on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, led by Col. Bui Yen Tinh, Deputy Director of the Operations Department under the Ministry of National Defense, held a working session to assess the implementation of IUU fishing prevention efforts in HCMC.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Bui Minh Thanh, head of the Ho Chi Minh City IUU Steering Committee, along with leaders of city departments and agencies, received and worked with the delegation.
According to the HCMC IUU Steering Committee, as of the end of August 2026, data on all 4,426 fishing vessels in the city had been updated in the national fisheries database (VNFishbase), reaching 100 percent. Of these, 2,141 fishing vessels measuring 15 meters or longer had been equipped with vessel monitoring systems (VMS), reaching 99.1 percent.
For fisheries traceability, requirements must ensure strictness and transparency while remaining appropriate to the actual conditions faced by fishermen.
However, fishing logbooks still lack information in some cases, while species identification remains inaccurate. The HCMC IUU Steering Committee therefore proposed that relevant ministries and agencies issue unified, easier-to-follow guidance on fishing logbooks, species identification and data updates.
Pham Thi Na, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Environment, said fishing vessels operate nationwide, making close coordination among localities essential for management. More than 20 vessels registered in HCMC have been sold to fishermen in other provinces but have yet to complete registration transfer procedures, creating difficulties for management. On paper, the vessels remain registered in HCMC, while in reality they have been transferred to other localities.
To effectively combat IUU fishing, HCMC Vice Chairman Bui Minh Thanh said the city has studied and begun installing GPS positioning devices on all fishing vessels that are not yet eligible to operate, enabling their locations and images to be updated daily. The work is expected to be completed in September.
To help achieve the goal of having the IUU yellow card warning lifted, Vice Chairman Bui Minh Thanh called for stronger connections and data sharing among localities, including information on fishing fleets. Once the data is interconnected, authorities will have greater convenience in identifying violations and handling them in accordance with regulations.
In response to difficulties involving waterways and fishing ports for small vessels operating on a daily basis, Col. Bui Yen Tinh agreed with Ho Chi Minh City’s proposal to review and plan satellite fishing ports or suitable landing points. The solution would help control catches, reduce costs and contribute to securing fishermen’s livelihoods.
The delegation will also report to the national IUU Steering Committee to study solutions involving technology applications, improve mechanisms for coordination and data sharing among localities, enhance the effectiveness of fisheries management, meet IUU fishing prevention requirements and ensure production conditions for fishermen.
The municipal People's Committee has recently issued Plan No. 460/KH-UBND on a peak month to address recommendations made by the European Commission (EC) during its fifth inspection on combating IUU fishing, reaffirming the city’s determination to join the country in having the “yellow card” warning lifted in 2026.
Under the plan, 100 percent of registered fishing vessels must have complete and accurate data updated on VNFishbase, with data cleaned and standardized before September 15. All arrivals and departures of fishing vessels measuring 6 meters or longer at ports and landing points must be recorded on Vietnam’s electronic Catch Documentation System (eCDT).
The city will also focus on controlling high-risk vessels and strictly inspecting vessel monitoring systems (VMS), while completely handling cases involving VMS disconnections, crossing permitted fishing boundaries and illegal fishing in foreign waters.
The city aims to have 100 percent of IUU violations verified and handled by the competent authorities within the prescribed time, with no case taking more than 60 days from the date the case file is established.
