Vietnam provincial government authorities recently inspected activities at the fishing ports of Tien Chau and Dan Phuoc in Phu Yen Province, both known for tuna fishing operations. The national government has been imposing strict restrictions on tuna fishermen to cut down IUU fishing ahead of the European Commission’s inspection scheduled for this month. In an attempt to get the EU yellow card withdrawn.

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, Nguyen Thien Van, made visits to both ports last week and stressed various factors to ensure compliance with EU standards. It included the need for better guidance for tuna and other seafood fishers to raise their awareness of compliance in fishing activities, installing onboard monitoring equipment, and ensuring they have a license to fish. The EU imposed a yellow card on the Asian nation’s tuna and other fisheries in 2017, mainly due to its inefficiency in combating IUU fishing.

Nine Vietnamese fishermen went missing on September 27 after their mini purse seiner ‘BD 97258 TS’ left to catch tuna on September 12 from Vietnam’s southern coastal province of Khánh Hòa. Coast Guard officials have been searching for the crew over the past week and confirmed yesterday that they have not received any information about them. The vessel was operated by its owner, who was also the captain, along with eight fishers, and was fishing 147 nautical miles (272 km) southeast of Quy Nhon when contact was lost. Officials were alerted by the crew members’ families who notified they had not been in contact with the boat for hours. The reason for its disappearance stays in the dark.

Local political leaders in Gia Lai province, near the coast where the boat went missing, have announced to set up a temporary command post to direct the search, and requested officials for its urgent completion. In another tragic incident that happened on October 5, a fishing boat with 11 Vietnamese   fishers sank after it was hit by a Korean oil tanker. A nearby vessel managed to rescue ten of them, but the captain, who is also the owner, is still missing.

Korean Dongwon-owned StarKist is sponsoring this year’s annual Chosin Few Gala which will be held on October 4 in Arlington County near the company’s corporate headquarters. The event honors and reunites Korean War veterans who fought in the historic Battle of Chosin Reservoir and their families, for the 75th year. The celebrations include a cocktail hour with Charlie the Tuna, opening remarks from StarKist President and CEO Edward Min, dinner, and musical performances.

StarKist’s dedication to honoring Korean War veterans dates back to over a decade and continues this year through its sponsorship of the Chosin Few Gala. This ongoing partnership underscores the tuna brand’s deep commitment to recognizing the sacrifices of Korean War veterans and ensuring their legacy is never forgotten, read a StarKist statement. The Chosin Few are the soldiers who fought in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in North Korea in December 1950 during the Korean War. The US, China, and the UK were involved in the conflict.