The Ministry’s implementation plan under Decision 313/QĐ-TTg is designed to heighten awareness and responsibility among officials, public servants, employees, trainees, and students within the agriculture and environment sector regarding anti human trafficking efforts. The plan emphasizes enhanced coordination between ministry affiliated units and relevant authorities to prevent, detect, suppress, and address human trafficking activities. Special attention is given to protecting vulnerable groups, such as women and children in remote, border, and island regions. The plan mandates close and effective collaboration between ministry units, local governments, and related organizations. All activities must be proactive, efficient, and tailored to the specific functions and responsibilities of each unit while ensuring cost effectiveness.
Decision 1137/QĐ-TTg further aims to bolster the role, responsibility, and effectiveness of coordination across all levels of government, from central to local authorities. It seeks to mobilize the collective strength of the political system and the public in the fight against human trafficking. The decision underscores the importance of intensifying public awareness campaigns to highlight the tactics used by traffickers, such as luring victims with promises of high paying, low effort jobs. It also calls for stronger efforts to monitor, combat, and suppress trafficking crimes, particularly those targeting children under 16 years old. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for effective victim reception, verification, rescue, protection, and support. Activities marking “World Day Against Trafficking in Persons” and “National Day Against Human Trafficking” in 2025 must be practical, impactful, cost efficient, aligned with international standards, and consistent with the theme “Human Trafficking is an Organized Crime – End Exploitation.”
Core components of the plan
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment’s plan comprises three primary components: reviewing legal documents, strengthening inter-agency collaboration, and promoting the 2024 Law on Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking. In contrast, Decision 1137/QĐ-TTg adopts a broader approach, involving multiple ministries, agencies, and localities, with a focus on activities commemorating the global and national anti-trafficking days in 2025.
The Legal Affairs Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has been tasked with leading and coordinating with relevant units to review legal documents within the agriculture and environment sector that relate to the 2024 Anti-Trafficking Law. The objective is to propose timely amendments, supplements, replacements, repeals, or the issuance of new regulations to ensure consistency and compliance with the law. This process has already begun and will continue to ensure a synchronized legal framework that effectively supports the law’s enforcement.
The plan requires all ministry affiliated units, including those managing fisheries and the coast guard, to actively collaborate with competent authorities, particularly the police, to prevent, detect, and address human trafficking violations. These units are tasked with developing effective preventive measures, prioritizing the protection of vulnerable groups such as women and children. Emphasis is placed on enhancing information and experience sharing with border-adjacent localities, where the risk of cross border trafficking is elevated. Units are also directed to integrate anti-human trafficking content into programs for rural development, sustainable poverty reduction, livelihood enhancement, and occupational safety.
Public awareness and dissemination of the 2024 Anti-Trafficking Law are central to the plan. Ministry units are required to educate public servants, employees, trainees, and students within the agriculture and environment sector about the law. The full text of the law and its implementing guidelines must be published on the ministry’s electronic portal and unit websites. Anti-trafficking content should be incorporated into industry events, communication programs, and activities. The plan encourages leveraging digital technologies and modern communication methods, including multimedia platforms, to enhance outreach and transform public perceptions and behaviors. Training institutions under the ministry are directed to integrate anti-trafficking education into curricula, particularly in legal education or soft skills courses, to equip students with the ability to recognize signs of trafficking crimes.
Role of the Fisheries and Surveillance sector
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has been assigned to intensify measures to combat human trafficking within the fisheries sector. As per their mandated roles, the Fisheries and Surveillance sector are responsible for preventing trafficking crimes, protecting workers, and fostering a safe and sustainable working environment across Vietnam’s maritime regions.
Vietnam’s fisheries industry, employing millions in harvesting, aquaculture, and processing, is a cornerstone of the national economy, significantly contributing to export revenues. However, the nature of work in offshore fishing grounds, ports, and border areas makes the sector vulnerable to exploitation by trafficking networks, particularly through forced labor and labor exploitation. The coast guard, tasked with monitoring and enforcing maritime laws, plays an indispensable role in detecting and preventing trafficking-related violations. The 2025 action plan assigns specific responsibilities to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, highlighting the pivotal roles of the Fisheries and Surveillance sector in combating this crime, safeguarding workers’ rights, and ensuring maritime security.
To achieve these objectives, the Fisheries and Surveillance sector must intensify legal education and awareness campaigns targeting fishermen, vessel owners, seafood processing businesses, and coast guard personnel. Fishermen and workers should be informed about their legal rights and trained to identify and report exploitation or forced labor. Coast guard personnel require specialized training to recognize trafficking indicators during patrols and inspections. Awareness campaigns should be widely rolled out at fishing ports, coastal villages, and regions such as Kien Giang, Ca Mau, Quang Ngai, and Binh Thuan, in collaboration with media agencies.
Alongside awareness efforts, the Fisheries and Surveillance sector must strengthen oversight and management of maritime activities. Authorities are tasked with conducting regular and unannounced inspections at fishing ports to verify working conditions, labor contracts, and crew documentation. Vessels failing to meet labor safety standards or showing signs of exploitation must face strict penalties. The Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) should be utilized not only to track vessel locations but also to detect anomalies, such as vessels operating outside Vietnamese waters without permits, which may indicate trafficking activities. The coast guard must enhance patrols and controls in maritime border areas, ports, and shipping routes, working closely with the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defense to promptly address violations. These efforts aim to ensure that fisheries operations comply with legal frameworks, protecting workers from exploitation and trafficking risks.
Labor monitoring on fishing vessels must be rigorous, encompassing checks on operating licenses, labor contracts, and working conditions to identify potential exploitation cases.
The Fisheries and Surveillance sector, integral to Vietnam’s economy and maritime security, play a critical role in preventing and combating human trafficking at sea. Initiatives such as awareness campaigns, oversight, victim support, and international cooperation not only align with the 2025 action plan but also contribute to building a sustainable, humane, and safe fisheries industry. Through robust coordination among ministries, agencies, localities, and community participation, Vietnam is steadily advancing toward its goal of eradicating exploitation and fostering a society free from human trafficking.
Hai Dang