Vietnam is intensifying efforts to combat illegal fishing as it seeks to remove the long-standing warning issued by the European Commission over illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Eight years after the Commission issued a ‘yellow card’ against the country’s seafood exports, authorities say tackling IUU fishing has become a national priority that extends beyond trade concerns.
Officials describe the effort as a whole-of-government mission aimed at modernising the country’s fisheries management system while strengthening international confidence in Vietnamese seafood products.
Central to the reforms are a series of legislative measures designed to tighten oversight across the industry. Decree 26/2019 introduced strict traceability requirements, mandating that seafood must be accompanied by verifiable proof of legal origin from the point of harvest through to export markets.
Subsequent decrees have expanded liability to vessel owners and captains, increased penalties for violations and introduced additional enforcement tools to deter illegal activity.
Technology is also playing a growing role in enforcement. A nationwide vessel monitoring framework combines the eCDT digital tracking system with the vessel monitoring system, enabling authorities to track vessels over 15 metres operating offshore.
Fishing vessels are now registered within the national fisheries database, while ownership information is cross-checked with the national population system to improve oversight and coordination between national and provincial authorities.
Vietnam has also strengthened traceability infrastructure, declaring 86 operational fishing ports and designating 14 seaports for foreign fishing vessel arrivals to comply with international monitoring requirements.
“Vietnam has accomplished more in eight years than many nations achieve in decades,” analysts say. “Yellow card removal would not merely boost GDP, it would demonstrate Vietnam’s capacity for ocean governance leadership.”
