Binh Dinh Province, a coastal region in central Vietnam, has taken significant steps to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, a major threat to the country’s marine ecosystem and economy. As the province prepares for a critical inspection by the European Commission, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Pham Anh Tuan has directed his departments and local authorities to intensify their efforts to tackle this issue.
- Reviewing and compiling lists of ineligible fishing vessels currently anchored or operating in other provinces.
- Establishing three specialized task forces to carry out patrols, inspections, and enforcement at the province’s three fishing ports.
- Inspecting 100% of vessels entering and exiting stations, prohibiting those without proper documentation from departing.
- Monitoring vessel tracking systems to ensure 100% of fishing vessels 15m or longer have active tracking signals before departure.
- Investigating and penalizing vessels that breach maritime boundaries.
The provincial border posts and checkpoints will play a crucial role in this effort, ensuring that all vessels are thoroughly inspected and that those without proper documentation are not allowed to set sail. Local police, in collaboration with district- and municipal-level People’s Committees, will also be monitoring high-risk individuals suspected of brokering or facilitating illegal vessel and crew movements into foreign waters.
These measures are expected to prevent IUU fishing activities from spreading in the province and ensure that all vessels operating in its waters are compliant with the law. The provincial authorities have also been instructed to guide vessel owners in de-registering boats that are damaged or sold/transferred to other localities, and to monitor and manage the anchoring positions of eligible vessels.
Implementation and Results
According to the provincial authorities, there are currently 3,620 fishing vessels with valid inspection certificates and 433 with expired ones. A total of 5,266 vessels hold valid fishing licenses, while 711 have expired licenses. Notably, a significant number of vessels have been detained by foreign authorities, with 10 local fishing vessels detained between October 2023 and May 2024, all of which operated outside the province and had not returned to their registered localities for years.
- Between October 2023 and May 2024, a total of 10 local fishing vessels were detained by foreign authorities, with all 10 vessels operating outside the province and having not returned to their registered localities for years.
- Since June 2024, no vessels have been detained, and local authorities have imposed administrative fines for IUU fishing violations on 147 cases, amounting to over 11 billion VND (over 426,000 USD).
| Category | Number of Vessels |
|---|---|
| Fishing vessels with valid inspection certificates | 3,620 |
| Fishing vessels with expired inspection certificates | 433 |
| Fishing vessels with valid fishing licenses | 5,266 |
| Fishing vessels with expired fishing licenses | 711 |
Special Measures
The Phu My district authority has been instructed to review the list of 17 fishing vessels over 15m in length that have not yet installed vessel monitoring systems, and to determine their exact operational status and current anchoring locations.
Additionally, the provincial police are intensifying their efforts to monitor high-risk individuals suspected of brokering or facilitating illegal vessel and crew movements into foreign waters, and joint efforts are being made with maritime law enforcement agencies to supervise these individuals closely and prevent violations from the outset.
“IUU fishing is a major threat to our marine ecosystem and economy, and we must take all necessary measures to prevent it from spreading in our province.
