Hai Phong City, with a coastline of approximately 125 km and a vast sea area of up to 4,000 km², holds a particularly important strategic position in terms of national defense, security, and the economy for both the Northern region and the country. Recognizing the vital importance of removing the "Yellow Card" warning from the European Commission (EC), the City People's Committee has designated the fight against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing as an urgent and top priority task. Under the drastic direction of the Government, Hai Phong has mobilized maximum resources and implemented synchronous solutions toward a transparent and sustainable fisheries industry.
- A Consistent and Decisive Leadership System
To address the EC's recommendations, Hai Phong has seriously implemented Directive No. 32-CT/TW of the Secretariat and the Prime Minister's Official Telegrams through a dense and specific system of guiding documents. The City People's Committee has issued several key plans, such as Plan No. 127/KH-UBND regarding the action program to implement Directive 32, Plan No. 130/KH-UBND on protecting aquatic resources until 2030, and various peak period plans for 2025 and 2026.
Notably, the city has mandated that heads of party committees and local governments at all levels must take responsibility before the Chairman of the City People's Committee if IUU violations occur within their jurisdiction. Following the merger with Hai Duong province, the City's IUU Steering Committee was promptly consolidated under Decision No. 3156/QĐ-UBND dated July 28, 2025, to ensure continuity and executive efficiency. Furthermore, an interdisciplinary team operating the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) has been established to monitor and handle violations 24/24 hours.
- Breakthroughs in Propaganda and Awareness Shifts
Identifying fishermen as the core subjects, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has coordinated with coastal localities and special zones to organize extensive training classes on the 2017 Law on Fisheries and IUU regulations. From 2024 to early 2026, the city organized 8 training conferences for 700 ship owners and captains.
Moving beyond theory, the city directly distributed 1,000 buoys, 1,000 national flags, 1,000 leaflets, and hundreds of legal handbooks to fishing vessels. Media efforts have also been intensified across mass communication platforms, with over 50 news reports, articles, and specialized documentaries on IUU handling appearing in the Hai Phong Newspaper and the city’s Radio and Television station, contributing to a fundamental shift in the fishing community's awareness.
- Fleet Management and Vessel Monitoring: "Telling" Figures
As of March 8, 2026, Hai Phong's fleet management has achieved impressive results:
- Total fishing vessels: The city currently has 786 vessels with a length of 6 meters or more.
- Registration and Data: 100% (786/786) of vessels have been registered, with full information updated in the National Fisheries Database (Vnfishbase).
- Fishing Licenses: Licenses have been granted to 100% (786/786) of eligible vessels.
- VMS Installation: For the group of vessels 15 meters or longer, Hai Phong has completed VMS installation for 273/273 active vessels, achieving a 100% rate.
For vessels that are ineligible for operation (such as 02 vessels with expired technical safety certificates), the city has assigned commune and ward-level People's Committees to strictly manage them, requiring that no fishing gear be kept on board and that daily photo reports be updated to ensure these vessels are not allowed to go out to sea.
- Strict Control of Activities at Ports and Wharves
Hai Phong currently operates three key fishing ports: Ngoc Hai, Tran Chau (Class II), and Bach Long Vi (Class III). The control of vessels entering and leaving ports and the monitoring of unloaded output have become well-established, with statistics showing the intensity of these efforts:
- 2024: Recorded 15,417 port entries/exits with an unloaded output of 2,998.4 tons.
- 2025: Recorded 13,383 port entries/exits with an increased output of 3,209.83 tons.
- Early 2026 to March 8, 2026: Recorded 1,706 port entries/exits with an output exceeding 343 tons.
The application of technology has yielded clear results. In 2025, there were 4,761 port entries/exits processed through eCDT software. In the first two months of 2026 alone, the number of entries through eCDT reached 1,134, an increase of 215 compared to the same period. The electronic logbook system (eLogbook) is also being actively deployed to transparently track the origin of seafood products.
- Law Enforcement and Violation Handling: No Exceptions
The city maintains a 24/24 duty force to monitor VMS signals, promptly reminding vessels that lose connection or risk crossing maritime boundaries. Since 2024, functional forces have verified hundreds of suspected violation cases. Administrative sanction results:
- From January 2024 to March 8, 2026, the city handled 399 violation cases with total fines amounting to 5,894.9 million VND.
- In the first two months of 2026, 19 cases were handled, with fines totaling 644.9 million VND. Notably, one vessel was heavily fined 200 million VND for a VMS connection loss violation.
Furthermore, Hai Phong has demonstrated a resolute stance through criminal prosecution. On February 6, 2026, the City Border Guard initiated a case regarding the crime of "Organizing illegal exit or entry for others" related to sending VMS devices to other vessels to fish illegally. The file has been handed over to the City Police for an expanded investigation. This serves as the clearest evidence of efforts to end the brokerage and connection activities that lead fishing vessels to illegal exploitation in foreign waters.
- Toward the Future: Sustainable and Responsible Fisheries
Moving forward, the Hai Phong IUU Steering Committee will continue to focus on key mission groups:
- Continued Peak Action: Seriously implementing the Prime Minister's Official Telegrams, especially Telegram No. 03/CĐ-TTg dated January 13, 2026, to prepare for the 5th working session with the EC Inspection Team.
- Strict River Mouth Management: Coordinating with the Border Guard to station vessels at river mouths, resolutely preventing "3 No" vessels (no license, no VMS, no registration number) from going to sea.
- Full Digitization: Promoting the electronic catch documentation and traceability system (eCDT) and requiring mandatory reporting for fishermen before leaving or arriving at ports.
- Creating Sustainable Livelihoods: Developing aquaculture, particularly mariculture, to reduce the fleet size in accordance with resource reserves. Simultaneously, establishing marine protected areas and time-limited prohibited fishing zones to regenerate sustainable aquatic resources.
With unceasing efforts and substantive results, Hai Phong City, alongside the rest of the country, is confident it will soon remove the EC's "Yellow Card" warning, affirming the position of a responsible maritime nation on the international stage.