As of late February 2026, the entire country is focusing intensely on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing to prepare for the European Commission's (EC) fifth inspection. The following records the implementation status nationwide and within Hai Phong City.
- Strengthening Control and Perfecting Institutions
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is actively synthesizing information to complete an explanatory report addressing the concerns raised by the EC.
- Fleet Management: The VN-Fishbase system has updated data for 80,324 fishing vessels across the country. Additionally, the Ministry has reviewed and publicized data for 19,042 vessels that have been de-registered since 2020 to assist authorities in maintaining control.
- Technology Application: As of February 22, 2026, the electronic catch documentation and traceability (eCDT) system has recorded 47,733 participating fishing vessels. However, the Ministry notes that discrepancies still exist between the number of vessels passing through border guard stations and those recorded at ports on the eCDT system in certain localities.
- Handling Violations: Since 2024, 98.21% of the 19,843 vessels detected losing their Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) connection or crossing boundaries have been addressed, with administrative fines reaching a rate of 22.96%. MARD is also drafting a new Decree on administrative penalties in the fisheries sector to replace old regulations and resolve legal bottlenecks.
- Hai Phong City: Maintaining Discipline and Strictly Handling Violations
Hai Phong City is striving to maintain positive results in fleet management and the control of fishing activities within its jurisdiction.
- Fleet Management: As of February 23, 2026, Hai Phong manages 786 fishing vessels, and 100% of vessels measuring 15 meters or more (273 vessels) have installed VMS equipment. The city confirms it has no "3-no" vessels (those without registration, inspection, or licenses).
- Port Control: In the first two months of 2026, fishing ports controlled 1,398 vessel arrivals and departures, with a loading and unloading volume of over 321 tons of seafood. Furthermore, 820 vessel trips were processed through the eCDT software.
- Law Enforcement: Since the beginning of 2026, Hai Phong has handled 28 administrative violations, totaling fines of over 437 million VND. Notably, on February 6, 2026, city Border Guard forces initiated a criminal case against a vessel from Nghe An for "organizing illegal exit and entry" due to the act of sending its VMS device to another vessel. Additionally, on February 2, 2026, the city repatriated vessel HP-90448-TS and its captain after they were detained by China in May 2025.
- Key Tasks for the Coming Period
On February 24, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha presided over an online meeting of the National Steering Committee on IUU to further urge local authorities.
- MARD proposed that the Ministry of National Defense increase patrols in boundary waters and required localities to update "accurate, sufficient, clean, and live" data into specialized systems.
- Hai Phong City requested units to strictly manage ineligible vessels, resolutely forbidding them from leaving port, and to definitively handle newly arising VMS disconnection cases.
The drastic implementation of these measures is a prerequisite for Vietnam's hope to have the EC "Yellow Card" removed during the upcoming inspection.