- EC’s yellow card countdown: Deputy PM directs complete anti-IUU fishing readiness check
The south-central province of Khanh Hoa is stepping up preparations for the fifth working session with the European Commission (EC)’s inspection delegation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
According to Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Trinh Minh Hoang, who is also head of the provincial steering committee on IUU fishing prevention and control, the locality has assigned specific tasks to each agency and thoroughly reviewed all relevant documents to ensure transparency and full data in line with the EC’s requirements.
Determined to have the EC’s “yellow card” warning lifted, Khanh Hoa has implemented drastic measures against IUU fishing in recent years. The EC previously assessed the province as one of the localities that had performed well in addressing fishing violations following an on-site inspection in October 2022.
The province currently has 5,120 fishing vessels measuring 6 metres or longer. All have been registered, licensed and updated on the national fisheries database (VNFishbase). Of the 2,453 vessels measuring 12 metres or more, 2,254 still have valid inspection certificates, and all boats have been properly marked with identification numbers. Authorities have also removed 367 vessels from the registry as they no longer meet offshore fishing requirements.
As of early 2026, all 1,484 vessels measuring 15 metres or longer have been equipped with vessel monitoring systems and are under constant supervision by relevant agencies. The provincial People’s Committee has also issued procedures for handling cases in which vessels lose monitoring signals or violate foreign waters. Notably, since 2024, Khanh Hoa has recorded no fishing vessels infringing upon foreign waters.
In parallel with offshore management, the province has tightened control at fishing ports. In 2025, more than 24,390 vessel arrivals and departures were recorded, with total seafood landings exceeding 41,150 tonnes. All catch data is updated on the electronic catch documentation and traceability system (eCDT) to ensure consistency and transparency.
The province is also strictly managing 219 vessels deemed ineligible for fishing operations and enhancing the traceability of seafood exports to Europe to prevent violations similar to previous incidents involving swordfish shipments.
Between 2021 and 2025, provincial authorities established three inspection teams to examine 28 seafood exporters to the European market, with no violations detected. Additionally, 25 enterprises have been granted EUR.1 certificates of origin for frozen shrimp exports to Europe, a positive signal for the province’s seafood sector as it works toward the removal of the EC’s “yellow card”.
