Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has demanded that the problems of the European Commission (EC)'s particular concern must be thoroughly addressed within one week so that the "yellow card" warning over illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is lifted this year.
He made the request while chairing the 21st meeting of the National Steering Committee for IUU fishing combat on November 11. The weekly meeting was connected with 21 coastal provinces and cities via teleconferencing.
The PM emphasised that combating IUU fishing is crucial for the nation’s dignity, reputation, and interests.
It requires a determined approach that combines education and management while ensuring citizens’ long-term livelihoods, he said, asking for close coordination among ministries, sectors, agencies, and localities in the fight, and consolidation of reports on the issues of the EC's concern.
A report delivered at the session showed that following the PM's conclusions at the 20th meeting, relevant sides maintained high focus on the month-long IUU fishing crackdown. Many tasks showed positive progress week by week, and many key duties were completed on schedule. Ministries and localities completed 31 of 66 tasks (up eight from the previous week), and they are implementing the 35 remainders as planned.
Local authorities coordinated with relevant forces to establish specialised task forces for patrolling, monitoring, and handling vessels violating foreign waters; integrated the vessel monitoring database with the seafood traceability system; accelerated investigation of IUU violations; reviewed vessels to update the VnEID; and addressed organisations and individuals involved in document falsification.
Vessel management and fishing activity monitoring improved markedly – 99.9% of nearly 80,000 fishing vessels are now registered in the national fisheries database. Local authorities classified ineligible vessels and handed over them to local governments and forces for management and fishing prevention.
Law enforcement in IUU fishing also progressed. Eight out of 22 localities finished resolving outstanding administrative violations related to vessel monitoring system (VMS) disconnections or boundary breaches. Legal proceedings against two new criminal cases involving two defendants were initiated, raising the total from October 1 to November 7, to 23 cases with 31 individuals.
The PM noted that anti-IUU efforts have shown better results week by week. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with incomplete vessel management, ineffective handling of VMS disconnections, unintegrated resident, vessel, and fisheries data, and unfinished revisions to the decree on fisheries-related penalties.
PM Chinh underlined that heads of ministries and localities bear full responsibility for any recurrence of violations or delays in removing the "yellow card". He instructed a concentrated effort during the month-long crackdown to end “catch-at-all-cost” practices and promote responsible and traceable fishing.
He set the immediate target of addressing the EC’s special concerns right within next week, focusing on unregistered vessels, ineligible vessels, VMS-disconnected ones, and strict seafood origin control.
Ministries, agencies, and localities must disseminate the PM's stance to all officials and Party members, he noted, reaffirming the commitment to combating IUU fishing and removing the EC "yellow card" in 2025.
Relevant parties must seriously implement the resolutions, directives, and instructions of the Party and Government, including the PM's Decision No. 2310/QD-TTg (dated October 17, 2025) on the month-long IUU fishing crackdown and sustainable fisheries development, along with the inter-agency coordination regulations.
All fisheries databases, including Vnfishbase, administrative violation handling, VMS data, and the electronic catch documentation and traceability system (eCDT), must be updated accurately and systematically, he stressed.
He also assigned specific tasks to certain ministries and units, with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in coordination with the Ministry of National Defence, ordered to immediately implement the inter-agency coordination regulations.
The coastal provinces and cities must monitor closely, lead decisively, and implement comprehensive anti-IUU fishing measures, ensuring no violations undermine efforts to remove the "yellow card". Weekly updates of high-risk vessels must be maintained.
The 14 localities yet to resolve VMS disconnection and boundary breach violations must complete the work by November 16, 2025, with relevant collectives and individuals held accountable, he asked.
The Government leader also requested all localities to promptly complete the 19 ongoing tasks, fully update fisheries databases, and strictly penalise violating vessels.
Meanwhile, associations and enterprises must not purchase, process, or export IUU-linked seafood, while encouraging members and fishermen to comply with regulations and promote sustainable fisheries, the PM urged.
