The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed relevant agencies to strengthen measures to ensure the safety and efficiency of fishing operations during the 2026 rainy and storm season.
Under the directive, the city's Fisheries and Fisheries Surveillance Sub-Department will intensify monitoring of fishing vessels through the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), promptly detect and handle violations, and step up public awareness campaigns on fisheries regulations, marine resource conservation and efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The Ho Chi Minh City High Command has been tasked with coordinating with relevant authorities and local administrations on disaster prevention, maritime search and rescue operations, while maintaining personnel and equipment on standby for emergency response.
The Ho Chi Minh City Border Guard Command will strengthen inspections of fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, coordinate offshore vessel management and promptly relay weather forecasts and severe weather warnings to fishermen.
People's committees of communes, wards and Con Dao Special Zone have been instructed to increase public awareness of disaster prevention, fisheries regulations and anti-IUU fishing measures. They are also required to monitor local fishing vessels and fishermen and coordinate with relevant agencies in vessel management.
Local authorities will provide fishermen with timely weather forecasts and warnings, encouraging them to take proactive measures to ensure safety while operating at sea.
The department instructed fishing ports to strengthen pre-departure safety inspections, prepare storm shelters and stand ready to accommodate fishing vessels during severe weather.
In addition, port authorities were asked to help disseminate regulations on the protection of marine mammals to vessel owners and captains.
