Vietnam Intensifies Fight Against Illegal Fishing with Maritime Patrols in Southeast Asian Waters

Vietnam's Maritime Police are intensifying decisive measures to eradicate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. As part of this effort, on-site inspections were conducted from August 29 to September 3 in the sea areas bordering Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. This initiative holds critical significance for Vietnam, which aims to have the "yellow card" warning regarding IUU fishing issued by the European Union (EU) lifted. The EU has indicated the possibility of imposing measures such as import restrictions on fishery products from countries engaged in illegal fishing, which could significantly impact Vietnam's seafood export industry. The Vietnamese government has designated the eradication of IUU fishing as a national priority, with related agencies such as the Maritime Police and Navy strengthening enforcement in coordination. These on-site inspections are also believed to aim at understanding the actual situation at sea and enhancing cooperation with neighboring countries. In Vietnam's one-party system, strong government-led policies are often promoted to achieve national goals, and this IUU fishing countermeasure is an example of such an approach. For Vietnam, which continues to experience economic growth, the sustainable use of fishery resources and securing international market trust are key to further economic development. Especially for maintaining and strengthening relations with major seafood exporting countries, including Japan, these measures are indispensable. Source: Nhan Dan