Authorities in Quang Nam have raised alarms after 18 squid-fishing vessels from the province lost connection with their monitoring devices while operating in sensitive waters near the maritime boundary between Vietnam and the Philippines.

The provincial government has officially requested intervention from the Ministry of National Defense to strengthen patrols and address potential violations.

Vice Chairman of the Quang Nam People's Committee, Ho Quang Buu, sent a formal request to the Ministry of National Defense, asking for enhanced enforcement against the growing issue of fishing vessels disabling or losing connection to their Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS).

According to the province, 569 out of 571 offshore fishing vessels in Quang Nam are equipped with VMS. Among these are 56 squid-fishing vessels that typically operate near the outer edge of Vietnam's exclusive economic zone, adjacent to Philippine waters.

Monitoring data revealed that many of these squid boats have recently gone offline while still within Vietnam's legal fishing zone near the Philippines.

Concerned about illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, Quang Nam authorities dispatched local departments to meet with the families of affected vessel owners. They emphasized compliance with IUU regulations and warned of penalties for illegal fishing activities.

The province urged vessel owners or their families to contact the missing boats and ensure they reactivate their VMS signals within Vietnam’s legal fishing waters. Authorities also stressed the absolute prohibition on crossing into foreign maritime zones.

However, by April 2, 18 of the 56 squid boats - 16 from Nui Thanh District and 2 from Thang Binh District - had remained disconnected from the VMS network for over 10 days. These vessels have not yet reestablished contact.

The missing boats are operating in a highly sensitive area near the border between Vietnam’s and the Philippines’ maritime zones. According to the provincial government, current awareness efforts directed at these vessels have proven ineffective, and the risk of crossing into foreign waters remains high.

Quang Nam has now asked the Ministry of National Defense to direct relevant military forces to increase patrols in the area and take decisive action. Officials fear that if the situation continues, it could jeopardize Vietnam’s broader efforts to have the EU’s IUU “yellow card” lifted.

Ha Nam