The Government News quoted U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc E. Knapper as announcing a $12.5-million package to help Vietnam boost its maritime law enforcement and combat illegal fishing.

Ambassador Knapper made the announcement during his meeting with Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien in Phu Quoc Island of the southern province of Kien Giang on December 5.

The package, made possible by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), is to support Vietnamese maritime law enforcement agencies, including the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Directorate of Fisheries, the Ministry of Public Security, and General Department of Vietnam Customs, via the donation of small boats, capacity building, and the development of realistic maritime law enforcement training facilities. 

Deputy Minister Tien expressed thanks to the U.S. support for Vietnam's fisheries industry through programs, projects, and technical assistance in the field of aquatic resources conservation, especially support for capacity building for Vietnam fisheries surveillance forces and anti- illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing efforts.

The European Commission (EC) issued a "yellow card" warning against Vietnam's seafood exports in 2017. Since then, Vietnam has adopted various measures at both central and local levels to push back illegal fishing.

The country earned $9.2 billion from exporting seafood over the first 11 months of 2024, an 11.5 per cent year-on-year surge, including $1.67 billion from the U.S. market.