On August 1, 2024, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien led a Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) team to examine the efforts against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Hai Phong City and to review animal disease control measures. The team scrutinized port activities, fishing logs, vessel monitoring, catch volumes, and enforcement of violations, identifying areas needing further improvement from previous inspections.
In a subsequent meeting with Hai Phong’s People’s Committee, Deputy Minister Tien commended the city’s efforts but stressed the need for more rigorous action to resolve ongoing issues. Despite having a robust regulatory framework and substantial guidance from the government and MARD, persistent violations and shortcomings in local enforcement remain a problem.
Tien emphasized that while central authorities provide the framework, effective local implementation is critical. He urged Hai Phong to allocate resources efficiently to meet the requirements and adopt precise, actionable measures. He hoped that these efforts would yield clearer results compared to past inspections.
Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien and Nguyen Duc Tho, Vice Chairman of Hai Phong City People’s Committee, conducted an on-site inspection of activities at Ngoc Hai fishing port. Photo: Duc Muoi/nongnghiep
In response, Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Tho of Hai Phong’s People’s Committee acknowledged the feedback and pledged to take more decisive actions. The city currently operates 971 fishing vessels, with 916 meeting operational standards and all equipped with tracking devices. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hai Phong reported improvements in managing the fishing fleet, better monitoring, and enforcement, especially concerning non-compliant vessels.
However, several challenges persist, including a shortage of specialized staff, insufficient incentives for fisheries inspectors, and issues with VMS (vessel monitoring systems) connectivity and compliance. These problems affect the accuracy of fishing logs, catch monitoring, and vessel tracking. Local authorities and related agencies have formed and strengthened teams to tackle IUU fishing, but further advancements are needed to improve effectiveness and ensure better regulatory alignment.
While progress has been made, significant efforts are still required to address existing gaps and ensure the effective enforcement of anti-IUU measures.
VFM
