(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the Ca Mau Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ca Mau province has achieved significant, comprehensive and substantive progress in combating IUU fishing in 2025, successfully fulfilling all tasks directed by the central government and strengthening fisheries governance. These efforts have established a solid foundation for the nationwide effort to lift the EC’s "yellow card" warning.
Recently, Ca Mau has drastically implemented key solutions, mobilizing the entire political system - particularly at the grassroots level - to strengthen territorial management, enhance communication and promptly prevent fishing vessels from infringing upon foreign waters.
According to Mr. Pham Van Muoi, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the Department proactively advised the Provincial People’s Committee to issue multiple steering documents and specific action plans. It also organized inspections and supervision of implementation in coastal localities. All 19 tasks assigned by the Prime Minister and the National Steering Committee on IUU were fully implemented on schedule with no delays.
The province’s anti-IUU efforts have seen a clear, comprehensive, and practical transformation. Completing all central-level mandates, strictly managing the fleet, effectively controlling fishing activities, and severely penalizing violations have created a firm premise to move toward removing the EC's "yellow card."
One of the most prominent achievements of Ca Mau’s anti-IUU campaign in 2025 is the legal regularization of its fishing fleet.
As of December 19, 2025, all 5,181 fishing vessels in the province are 100% registered and fully updated on the VNFishbase system and 100% have been granted fishing licenses. There are no vessels lacking proper registration or licensing.
For vessels that are inactive or no longer in use, the province has tasked local authorities with strict monitoring, including photographing mooring locations every seven days to digitize records and ensure that unqualified vessels do not return to fishing activities.
Furthermore, 100% of fishing vessels have been marked with identification numbers and the registration of vessels used for aquaculture services has been completed, eliminating the status of "off-the-grid" vessels with unidentified information.
Vessel monitoring and port control continue to be strictly and continuously enforced. Currently, 100% of active vessels 15 meters or longer have installed Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) and maintain 24/7 connectivity, even when docked. The monitoring stations are maintained around the clock to promptly detect, warn, and demand vessels return to Vietnamese waters if they cross boundaries.
Importantly, the province has deployed the electronic Catch Documentation and Traceability (eCDT) system at all fishing ports, ensuring that 100% of vessels 15 meters or longer perform port entry/departure procedures and maintain electronic logs. To date, 4,493 vessels have fully complied with the eCDT process.
The processing of catch certificates and origin confirmations has been conducted in strict accordance with regulations with no documentation errors requiring clarification. In 2025, the province issued: 28 receipts for 171 tons of seafood (cumulative: 1,360 receipts/7,627 tons); 5 Statement of Catch (SC) certificates for 58,170 tons (cumulative: 903 certificates/12,875.04 tons) and 7 Catch Certificates (CC) for 83,817 tons (cumulative: 877 certificates/12,460.578 tons).
In addition to technical and legal measures, Ca Mau has placed special emphasis on propaganda and advocacy. In 2025, the province conducted 102 documentaries and 877 news articles in print and online media; distributed 18,870 leaflets, 5,000 brochures and 10,000 posters; organized 47 training sessions with 4,007 participants and sent 51,403 informational messages to fishers.
The commune-level broadcasting system airs anti-IUU content twice daily, helping to elevate awareness and fostering consensus among fishing communities.