Alongside fishermen’s efforts to maintain their offshore fishing activities, law enforcement agencies have stepped up efforts to raise awareness of alongside enforce compliance with fisheries regulations, particularly those aimed at combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Hoa Hiep Nam Border Guard officers disseminating information while providing guidance to fishermen on compliance with fisheries regulations.

Hoa Hiep Nam Border Guard Station is responsible for managing more than 15 kilometres of the national maritime border and maintains two checkpoints at Phu Lac Fishing Port as well as in the Hoa Tam area to monitor people and vessels entering and leaving the maritime border area. In addition to inspections at the port, border guards have intensified patrols at sea along with around fishing harbours and landing sites, while monitoring fishing vessels’ movements through the vessel monitoring system (VMS). When vessels are found to have potentially lost their VMS signals or to be operating near the boundary of foreign waters, the authorities promptly issue warnings alongside coordinate with vessel owners’ families and local authorities to prevent violations.

Awareness-raising activities are conducted regularly. Since the beginning of 2026, Hoa Hiep Nam Border Guard Station has held 27 public awareness sessions on combating IUU fishing, attracting a total of 2,390 attendances. It has also persuaded vessel owners and captains to sign 986 pledges not to violate foreign waters. Moreover, the unit has coordinated outreach activities as well as provided guidance on combating IUU fishing to 1,788 vessel owners and captains, while assisting 925 vessel owners and captains with departure alongside arrival procedures in accordance with regulations.

Hoa Hiep Nam Border Guard officers inspecting fishing vessels’ documents and paperwork before departure.

At Phu Lac Fishing Port in Hoa Hiep Ward, Mr. Huynh Van Tinh, owner of fishing vessel PY 90828-TS, has spent around 20 years in the fishing industry. His vessel mainly operates offshore using handline fishing and drift gillnets, with five to eight crew members on each fishing trip. According to Tinh, before leaving port, a vessel must complete all registration, inspection combined with technical safety procedures and ensure it is fully equipped with fire prevention alongside firefighting equipment, life jackets and a crew list.

For fishing vessels required to install vessel monitoring system (VMS) equipment, fishermen also recognise that keeping the devices operational at all times is a mandatory requirement.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Xuan Long, head of Hoa Hiep Nam Border Guard Station, said that, alongside awareness-raising efforts, violations are dealt with strictly by the authorities. In 2026, Hoa Hiep Nam Border Guard Station imposed administrative fines in seven fisheries-related cases involving seven individuals and seven fishing vessels, with total fines amounting to 55.75 million VND.

For the fishing industry to develop sustainably, every vessel owner together with captain must complete all required procedures before departure, maintain VMS equipment in accordance with regulations; observe permitted fishing boundaries; refrain from using prohibited fishing tools and gear, as well as avoid illegal fishing. Maintaining offshore fishing activities while complying with the law is a practical way for fishermen to protect their interests, ensure the safety of each fishing trip, contribute to the conservation of aquatic resources and help build a responsible fishing industry.

Translated by HAI LOAN