Ho chi minh city: Ho Chi Minh City is intensifying efforts against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing to support the national goal of having the European Commission (EC)’s ‘yellow card’ on Vietnamese seafood lifted by 2025. The municipal Department of Agriculture and Environment reported that as of mid-August, the city had 5,076 fishing vessels, with 1,208 unqualified boats barred from going to sea. Data on more than 4,800 vessels has been updated on the VNFishbase and vessel monitoring system (VMS), and linked with the VNeID database for tighter management. Port surveillance has been reinforced, with 7,476 arrivals and 8,295 departures inspected since the start of the year, covering over 56,000 tonnes of aquatic products. The around-the-clock VMS has helped reduce cases of disconnection and boundary violations.

According to Vietnam News Agency, efforts are being made to ensure tighter regulation and oversight of fishing activities in the area. By updating the data and linking it to the VNeID database, authorities aim to improve the management and monitoring of fishing vessels. The enhanced port surveillance is part of the city’s broader strategy to curb IUU fishing, which includes inspecting thousands of arrivals and departures to ensure compliance with regulations. The VMS plays a crucial role in maintaining continuous oversight, helping to minimize incidents of disconnection and boundary violations.