Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang has required relevant ministries, agencies and localities to focus on effectively implementing directives of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat and the Government as well as related documents against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

It is part of the joint efforts aimed at having the European Commission (EC)’s “yellow card” warning against Vietnamese seafood removed during the upcoming inspection of the EC, he said while chairing an online conference with ministries, sectors and localities on June 17.

The Deputy Prime Minister ordered stakeholders to step up communications work to raise public awareness against IUU fishing and strictly punish violations.

Ministries, localities and agencies were requested to enhance management over operation of fishing vessels, increase inspections and supervisions and improve traceability of fisheries products.

IUU fishing prevention is identified as an urgent and important task of the whole political system, he said.

The legal framework for IUU prevention activities continued to be implemented, including Government Decree No. 37/2024/ND-CP amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 26/2017/ND-CP detailing the implementation of the Fisheries Law.

Additionally, the Government also issued the Decree No. 38/2024/ND-CP replacing Decree No. 42/2019/ND-CP on penalties for administrative violations in the fisheries sector, basically meeting requirements recommended by the EC, Deputy PM Quang said.