Ben Tre intensifies efforts to remove EC’s “yellow card”

More than 3,700 fishing boats in Ben Tre province have been registered, including over 3,400 getting or renewing fishing licences. (Photo: VNA)

The Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre has taken drastic measures to clamp down on the illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing as it is preparing for the European Commission (EC)’s fifth inspection, determined to contribute to the nationwide effort to remove the commission's "yellow card" warning.

It has enhanced investigations into fishing vessels that have lost connection with monitoring devices for periods ranging from six hours to more than ten days.

Fishing operations at local ports have been controlled to prevent IUU fishing, ensuring fishing logs and seafood traceability documentation are complete, accurate, and compliant with regulations.

Over the recent past, the province has prioritised vessel inspection and guidance for registration and licensing procedures. To date, 3,721 fishing boats have been registered, including over 3,400 getting or renewing fishing licences.

Since the beginning of 2025, the province has reported no new violations, with nearly 2,000 required to install monitoring devices having done so.

Local authorities continue to collaborate with Coast Guard Regions 3 and 4 in monitoring local fishing vessels operating in the southern waters, focusing on surveillance through monitoring systems and warning vessels at risk of crossing maritime boundaries. Additionally, they have kept close tabs on vessels entering and leaving ports, supervising seafood unloading, and verifying the origin of caught seafood at local fishing ports./.