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Prime Minister: Determined and Decisive Actions to Remove the EU’s “Yellow Card” on IUU Fishing by 2025

(vasep.com.vn) On September 26, 2025, the Government Office issued Notice No. 517/TB-VPCP, conveying the conclusions of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the 14th Meeting of the National Steering Committee on Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.

The Notice emphasizes the Prime Minister’s directive for the entire political system to take strong, decisive, and synchronized actions, with the clear goal of having the European Commission (EC) lift the “yellow card” warning on Vietnam’s seafood industry by 2025.

Prime Minister Sets Urgent Objectives to Combat IUU Fishing

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh reaffirmed that combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is a core, urgent, and long-term mission essential for the sustainable development of Vietnam’s fisheries sector, improving fishermen’s livelihoods, and safeguarding the nation’s reputation.

He emphasized that all Party Committees, ministries, sectors, and local authorities must focus on restoring order in fisheries management, particularly in offshore fishing, while accelerating the transition from exploitation to high-tech aquaculture closely linked with conservation and sustainable development of aquatic resources.

Tasks Assigned to Central Ministries and Agencies

• Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD):
  Hold full responsibility before the Government for IUU prevention outcomes; urgently submit a Resolution to address legal bottlenecks by October 15, 2025; develop a livelihood transition program for fishermen within Q4/2025; completely resolve origin fraud and traceability issues for exported seafood by October 31, 2025; thoroughly prepare for the 5th EC inspection mission and proactively coordinate with the U.S. Department of Commerce on related matters.

• Ministry of National Defense:
  Direct the Border Guard, Coast Guard, and Navy, in coordination with Viettel, to ensure 100% monitoring of fishing vessels and prevent all IUU violations by October 15, 2025; simultaneously implement a comprehensive digital management system for fishing vessels integrated with the national population database.

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
  Provide updated information on Vietnamese vessels and fishermen detained abroad during 2024–2025; accelerate maritime boundary delimitation and promote bilateral cooperation in fisheries exploitation with regional partners.

• Ministry of Public Security:
  Urgently investigate and handle IUU-related cases, reporting results to the Government by October 31, 2025.

• Ministry of Finance:
  Develop support mechanisms to help fishermen transition to new occupations in line with IUU requirements, to be completed within Q4/2025.

• Ministry of Science and Technology:
  Assess the quality of satellite services for the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and finalize the report by October 15, 2025.

Responsibilities of Local Authorities and Enterprises

Chairpersons of 21 coastal provinces and cities will be held directly accountable to the Prime Minister if assigned tasks are not completed within October 2025. They must strictly prevent vessels from violating foreign waters, compile a list of vessels unqualified for operation, and intensify port inspections, fishing log verification, and landing supervision by October 31, 2025.

VASEP and seafood enterprises must continue to strictly comply with IUU regulations, absolutely avoid purchasing, processing, or exporting illegally caught seafood, and actively cooperate with competent authorities to strictly handle any cases of facilitation or complicity in IUU violations.

Weekly Review Mechanism

According to Notice No. 517/TB-VPCP dated September 26, 2025, the Prime Minister will chair weekly meetings every Tuesday at 17:30 with leaders of relevant ministries, sectors, and the 21 coastal localities to review progress, assess implementation, and promptly resolve difficulties to accelerate the removal of the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning on Vietnam’s seafood exports.