Vietnam's Directorate of Fisheries (D-Fish) and the AquacultureStewardship Council (ASC) will work together on promoting responsibleaquaculture in the country.
A Memorandum of Understanding tothis effect was signed by the two sides at a workshop held on June 22,the first day of the Responsible Business Forum in Hanoi.
Underthe MoU, the two sides will cooperate on upgrading aquaculture practiceswith a step-by-step approach, moving from VietGap standards to ASCcertification.
Pham Anh Tuan, Deputy Head of D-Fish, said thataquaculture was one of four key components of Vietnam's fisheriesindustry, accounting for 60 percent of its total output, which isexpected to rise to 70 percent by 2020.
The introduction ofnational Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP) by the AgricultureMinistry was aimed at promoting sustainable aquaculture, and the latestinitiative would take the process further ahead, Tuan said.
Theworkshop reviewed differences between VietGAP and ASC standards, andreached agreement on implementing a joint project that will guideVietGAP certified farmers to reach ASC certification.
Tuan saidthe Vietnamese Government had been committed to reducing the negativeimpacts of fish farming in the country, and building on the mandate thatfarms must meet VietGap standards, the new project would help them movetowards an internationally recognised standard.
This in turn,would provide firms with greater access to international markets andensure a more responsible aquaculture sector, he added.
In 2014,the Government issued a decree on breeding, processing and exportingcatfish, stipulating that farms must acquire VietGAP or equivalentcertification by the end of 2015.
ASC Managing Director ChrisNinnes said that through this project, his agency was engaging withfarmers not currently able to meet ASC requirements, includingsmallholders.
They would benefit from greater support inimproving their practices, he said, adding that this approach would alsoenable the ASC to become a more efficient service provider by reducingcosts for producers who wish to gain ASC certification.
The ASChas so far granted quality certifications to around 3,000 labels andover 500,000 tonnes of products in the world market.
Workshopparticipants said aquaculture certification played an important role inpromoting and assuring responsible practices that protect theenvironment and communities.
The new project, led by an externalconsultant, had the potential to lead to greater collaboration betweenthe two organisations by adopting an area-based management approach,they added.-VNA
A Memorandum of Understanding tothis effect was signed by the two sides at a workshop held on June 22,the first day of the Responsible Business Forum in Hanoi.
Underthe MoU, the two sides will cooperate on upgrading aquaculture practiceswith a step-by-step approach, moving from VietGap standards to ASCcertification.
Pham Anh Tuan, Deputy Head of D-Fish, said thataquaculture was one of four key components of Vietnam's fisheriesindustry, accounting for 60 percent of its total output, which isexpected to rise to 70 percent by 2020.
The introduction ofnational Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP) by the AgricultureMinistry was aimed at promoting sustainable aquaculture, and the latestinitiative would take the process further ahead, Tuan said.
Theworkshop reviewed differences between VietGAP and ASC standards, andreached agreement on implementing a joint project that will guideVietGAP certified farmers to reach ASC certification.
Tuan saidthe Vietnamese Government had been committed to reducing the negativeimpacts of fish farming in the country, and building on the mandate thatfarms must meet VietGap standards, the new project would help them movetowards an internationally recognised standard.
This in turn,would provide firms with greater access to international markets andensure a more responsible aquaculture sector, he added.
In 2014,the Government issued a decree on breeding, processing and exportingcatfish, stipulating that farms must acquire VietGAP or equivalentcertification by the end of 2015.
ASC Managing Director ChrisNinnes said that through this project, his agency was engaging withfarmers not currently able to meet ASC requirements, includingsmallholders.
They would benefit from greater support inimproving their practices, he said, adding that this approach would alsoenable the ASC to become a more efficient service provider by reducingcosts for producers who wish to gain ASC certification.
The ASChas so far granted quality certifications to around 3,000 labels andover 500,000 tonnes of products in the world market.
Workshopparticipants said aquaculture certification played an important role inpromoting and assuring responsible practices that protect theenvironment and communities.
The new project, led by an externalconsultant, had the potential to lead to greater collaboration betweenthe two organisations by adopting an area-based management approach,they added.-VNA
