Coastal provinces across the country have ramped up the installation of vessel monitoring systems (VMS) in fishing ships as part of measures to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The move is expected to help lift the EU’s existing “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood products when a delegation of the European Commission (EC)’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG-Mare) will visit Vietnam from May 25 to June 5 to inspect the implementation of the EC’s recommendations against IUU fishing.
The EC inspection team identifying illegal fishing in this third inspection may result in an extension of the “yellow card” or even turn it into a “red card”, meaning a ban on Vietnamese seafood exports, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).
Nguyen Quang Hung, Deputy Director of MARD’s General Department of Fisheries, said Vietnam has made a great deal of effort over the last three years to implement the EC’s recommendations against IUU fishing.
After two inspections in June 2018 and November 2019, the inspection team recognised the country’s commitment to having the “yellow card” removed, Hung said, but a lot of work still needs to be done regarding the installation of VMS.
The Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau possesses a fleet of some 4,925 fishing ships, including 1,665 that are longer than 15 metres and are designed for offshore fishing, which must be equipped with a VMS as stipulated by government regulations.
The province has installed VMS on some 72 percent of its ships of more than 15 metres and 86.5 percent of those longer than 24 metres, said Chau Cong Bang, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
In the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre, the installation rate was 50.75 percent for those longer than 15 metres and 96.58 percent for those longer than 24 metres.
Chairman of the Ben Tre Provincial People’s Committee Cao Van Trong said the province has requested relevant authorities strictly punish vessels sailing into other countries’ waters. All ships detained by foreign countries have had their licenses revoked.
South-central Binh Dinh province, meanwhile, has a total of 3,270 fishing vessels of more than 15 metres. To date, all vessels more than 24 metres long and 89 percent of those 15 to 24 metres long in the province have been equipped with Movimar, a French fisheries satellite surveillance system.
It has accelerated inspections to identify any vessels operating without a fishing license or having its licenses expired, and will help them register or renew the license.
In central Quang Tri province, the local Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has gotten tough on violations and asked relevant authorities to prevent any ship with a length of 15 to 24 metres from cruising offshore if it does not have a VMS.
As at the beginning of April there were only 18 ships over 24 metres in length and 120 ships 15 to 24 metres in length in the province with a VMS. The low rate is largely due to the relatively high cost of a VMS, which can be up to 30 million VND (1,285 USD).
According to MARD, due to the EU “yellow card”, Vietnam’s seafood exports to the EU fell by 6.5 percent to 390 million USD in 2018 and by 11.5 percent to 345.2 million USD in 2019.
From being the second-largest import market for Vietnam’s seafood, after the “yellow card” the EU dropped to fifth and its imports have decreased from 18 percent to 13 percent of Vietnam’s total exports.
VNA
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Recently, in Long Xuyen City, An Giang Province, the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development (IPSARD) and the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) organized a workshop to announce the results of the project “Food Loss Assessment in the Pangasius Value Chain in the Mekong River Region.” The project aims to provide scientific evidence to support the sustainable development of Vietnam’s pangasius industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Shrimp prices in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta have recovered since early May, helping to improve farmers’ confidence and accelerate stocking activities for the 2026 farming season. However, farmers remain cautious due to rising input costs, unfavorable weather conditions, and disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 27, the Vietnam Trade Office in India, in collaboration with trade promotion agencies, industry associations, and businesses from both countries, organized the online seminar “Vietnam–India Seafood Trade Forum and Supply-Demand Connectivity 2026.” The event aimed to promote trade cooperation, investment, and seafood supply chain connectivity between Vietnam and India amid the ongoing restructuring of global markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In recent years, Ninh Binh Province has intensified the application of science and technology in aquaculture in order to improve productivity, product quality, and economic efficiency.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports reached USD 49 million, up 151% compared to the same period in 2025. This figure reflects an emerging export sector that is taking advantage of market gaps created by global trade disruptions, while larger producers are adjusting their strategies.
On the afternoon of May 28, the People’s Committee of Ho Thi Ky Commune signed a memorandum of understanding with Minh Phu Certified Shrimp Social Co., Ltd. (a member of Minh Phu Seafood Corporation) on cooperation to develop a black tiger shrimp farming area meeting international certification standards during the 2026–2030 period in the commune.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The “Moringa Noodles Salad” product by Sa Giang Import-Export Corporation was honored as one of the “Top 10 Winning Products” at the THAIFEX – Anuga taste Innovation Show 2026, held as part of THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2026 in Bangkok.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a fairly strong upward trend in 2025, Vietnam’s clam exports entered 2026 with a mixed picture: strong growth at the beginning of the year, followed by a slowdown from March onward. According to Vietnam Customs data, Vietnam’s clam export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached more than USD 38 million, up 2% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is facing new opportunities to expand its development space as many localities and businesses begin promoting marine farming models aimed at diversifying farming areas and adapting to climate change. However, for pangasius to truly “go offshore” and develop into a large-scale industry segment, significant challenges related to technology, broodstock, and markets still need to be addressed.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports in April 2026 reached USD 11 million, up 92% compared to the same period in 2025. This strong growth indicates that Vietnamese tilapia products are continuing to penetrate and expand rapidly in international markets. Cumulative export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 49 million, up 151% year-on-year.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn