Dak Lak Province is intensifying efforts to implement urgent solutions aimed at addressing shortcomings in line with recommendations issued by the European Commission (EC) following its fifth inspection.

Ensuring data transparency

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, by the end of March 2026, the provincial fishing fleet management together with monitoring of fisheries across the province activities has recorded significant progress.

The province currently has 2,576 fishing vessels registered in the national fisheries database (VNFishbase), fully matched with the national population database. Notably, 100% of vessels measuring 15 metres or more (687 vessels) have been equipped with vessel monitoring systems (VMS) and are subject to round-the-clock supervision. The proportion of vessels holding valid fishing licences has reached 99.57%.

Border guard forces inspecting documentation of fishing vessel owners.

Since early 2024, competent authorities have handled 119 administrative violations in the fisheries sector, with total fines exceeding 1.6 billion VND.

The province has also deployed an electronic catch documentation system (eCDT) alongside electronic fishing logbooks (eLogbook), ensuring transparency throughout harvesting, processing, through export stages.

During the fifth inspection in mid-March 2026, the European Commission (EC) inspection team acknowledged and highly appreciated the provincial strong efforts as well as determination in implementing measures against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, particularly its proactive updates on progress in fulfilling EC recommendations as required by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

The delegation affirmed that Dak Lak has demonstrated clear political commitment, decisive and coordinated action, with initial positive along with tangible outcomes. It also commended the locality’s cooperation, transparency, and responsibility throughout the working process.

Alongside these achievements, the EC inspection team pointed out several shortcomings requiring urgent attention, including relatively low penalty levels; limited inter-agency coordination in preventing and handling IUU violations; together with inconsistencies in traceability documentation at certain enterprises, etc.

Enhancing law enforcement effectiveness

Local authorities are required to tighten discipline and administrative order, while strengthening law enforcement effectiveness from central down to grassroots levels. Updates of fishing vessel data must ensure accuracy, completeness, consistency, and real-time validity.

Ocean tuna landing at Dong Tac Fishing Port.

Comrade Nguyen Thien Van, PPC Vice Chairman, said Dak Lak is intensifying efforts while maintaining close oversight in addressing shortcomings highlighted by the European Commission (EC) inspection team. The province is also prioritising sustainable solutions, including a livelihood conversion project for 183 fishing vessels affecting aquatic resources. Simultaneously, it is strengthening communication work, requiring 100% enterprises involved in purchasing, processing, and exporting seafood to commit against sourcing materials from vessels violating IUU regulations; accelerating the electronic traceability system application (eCDT VN) to ensure transparent, consistent data; as well as strictly handling fraudulent acts.

At present, the Sub-Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources is urging enterprises to promptly review and reconcile documentation alongside data related to harvested seafood inputs, particularly yellowfin tuna from domestic as well as imported sources, covering raw material volumes, inventories, together with export output. Enterprises are required to strictly manage traceability records, ensuring transparency, consistency, along with accuracy across input materials, production stages, and exported products, thereby fully meeting EC requirements on IUU fishing control.

Translated by HAI LOAN