Vietnam is searching for solutions to the sustainable development of the fisheries industry.

Preventing and ending vessels’ illegal fishing overseas is the first requirement to lift “yellow card” warning by the European Commission, said Deputy General Director of the Directorate of Fisheries Nguyen Quang Hung.

Kien Giang province aims to resolutely minimise and end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, develop and implement a project on consolidating and rearranging fishing vessels in the province to provide stable work for fishermen, ensuring sustainability in preventing IUU fishing.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on June 7 sent a document to the Chairpersons of the People's Committees of coastal provinces and cities on strictly handling organisations and individuals that let fishing vessels violate foreign waters for illegal fishing.

The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has ordered its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to get tougher on illegal fishing in foreign waters by local fishing ships and their owners.

The European Commission (EC) has made positive assessment of Vietnam’s fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing following two inspections in the past over three years since EC imposed a “yellow card” on Vietnam’s export of aquatic products to Europe.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Pham Vinh Quang had a working session on October 16 with the host country’s Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Edhy Prabowo to exchange views on measures to intensify bilateral marine and fisheries cooperation.