Ca Mau expands digital guidance to improve fishing compliance
Border guards are promoting electronic catch declarations and helping fishermen use tracking equipment as Vietnam seeks removal of the EC’s yellow card.
Vietnam’s campaign to have a European Commission yellow card lifted is receiving support from border guards in Ca Mau province, where officials say digital outreach and individual assistance are helping fishermen follow regulations. The warning concerns Vietnamese seafood exports and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
At Ganh Hao Border Guard Station, political officer Lt. Col. Pham Thanh Nhan said guidance on port formalities and vessel tracking was being distributed through QR codes, Zalo groups and short videos. Home visits offer additional instruction to fishermen who struggle with digital tools.
Maj. Phan Minh Vuong, head of the Ganh Hao Border Guard Control Station, said officers maintained continuous staffing to check documents and clear boats through port. They are encouraging captains and owners to file declarations through the electronic catch documentation and traceability system, known as eCDT.
Border guards also assist owners with incomplete registration, licensing or inspection documents and help resolve tracking equipment problems. Authorities alert owners if a vessel’s tracking signal disappears or it nears a maritime boundary. Location information can also guide rescue operations.
Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment director To Hoai Phuong said Ca Mau was improving port infrastructure, digital systems, data links and enforcement. The province is also supporting aquatic resource recovery, shared management arrangements and changes in livelihoods where fishing pressure is heavy. He said lifting the warning needed to accompany better fisheries oversight, transparent traceability and sustainable livelihoods.
