HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City has been taking tough measures, from fleet management and journey monitoring to traceability and strict penalties for violations related to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, part of joint efforts to have the European Commission (EC)'s IUU “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood lifted.

The municipal Department of Agriculture and Environment reported that the city is entering a crucial phase in combating IUU fishing as Vietnam prepares for the EC’s fifth inspection.

A vice chairperson of the municipal People’s Committee has been assigned to oversee the work. Grassroots-level steering boards have been established in coastal communes and wards. The municipal administration has also issued a plan on a peak crackdown on IUU fishing to ensure unified actions at all levels.

HCM City currently has 4,987 fishing vessels, including more than 2,300 that are 15m in length or longer, and all have been registered with the required identification numbers.

Local border guard stations have also tightened control at estuaries, refusing departure clearance for vessels lacking proper documents or disabling their vessel monitoring systems (VMS).

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, catch unloading is strictly monitored by cross-checking fishing logbook data with the VMS system. The electronic catch documentation and traceability system (eCDT) has also been applied to all vessels entering and leaving ports.

In addition, 14 seafood exporters using domestically sourced materials have been inspected, with 13 complying with record-keeping requirements.

Since 2024, the city has handled 441 administrative violations and prosecuted six cases related to the removal of VMS devices and illegal departures. Several serious IUU-related cases are now under investigation.

During the peak campaign launched in mid-August 2025, fisheries surveillance and border guard forces have conducted 20 patrols, inspecting 492 fishing vessels. They detected 58 violations and imposed fines totalling more than 600 million VND (over 22,700 USD).

Pham Thi Na, Deputy Director of the department, said that thanks to municipal authorities' strong directions, close coordination among forces, and fishermen's improved awareness, anti-IUU fishing efforts have reaped encouraging results.

ไ Lifting the “yellow card” is not only essential to maintain seafood exports to the European market but also a necessary step to develop a modern, responsible, and sustainable fisheries industry, she added./.