The Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment (MARD) and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) signeda Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 22.
Under the MoU, both sides pledged to work together to promoteresponsible aquaculture in Vietnam through a step-by-step approach fromVietGAP to ASC certification.
According to PhamAnh Tuan, Deputy Head of the Directorate of Fisheries, aquaculture isone of four key sectors in Vietnam’s fisheries and accounts for 60percent of the total output, which is expected to rise to 70 percent by2020.
In order to promote sustainableaquaculture, Tuan said the MARD issued the Vietnamese Good AgriculturalPractices (VietGAP).
Both sides reviewed thedifferences between VietGAP and ASC and agreed to implement a jointproject to create guidance for VietGAP certified farmers to help themprogress to the ASC certification.
ChrisNinnes, Managing Director of the ASC, said his group is engaging with atier of farmers through this project that are not currently able to meetASC requirements, including smallholders, who will benefit from greatersupport in improving their practices.
Thisapproach will also enable the ASC to become a more efficient serviceprovider by reducing costs for producers who wish to gain ASCcertification, he said, adding that the ASC has granted qualitycertifications to around 3,000 labels on the market and over 500,000tonnes of products.
In 2014, the VietnameseGovernment issued Decree No 36/2014/ND-CP on growing, processing andexporting catfish, stipulating that farms must receive VietGAP orequivalent certifications by the end of 2015, evidence of the VietnameseGovernment’s commitment to developing sustainable aquaculture.-VNA
Under the MoU, both sides pledged to work together to promoteresponsible aquaculture in Vietnam through a step-by-step approach fromVietGAP to ASC certification.
According to PhamAnh Tuan, Deputy Head of the Directorate of Fisheries, aquaculture isone of four key sectors in Vietnam’s fisheries and accounts for 60percent of the total output, which is expected to rise to 70 percent by2020.
In order to promote sustainableaquaculture, Tuan said the MARD issued the Vietnamese Good AgriculturalPractices (VietGAP).
Both sides reviewed thedifferences between VietGAP and ASC and agreed to implement a jointproject to create guidance for VietGAP certified farmers to help themprogress to the ASC certification.
ChrisNinnes, Managing Director of the ASC, said his group is engaging with atier of farmers through this project that are not currently able to meetASC requirements, including smallholders, who will benefit from greatersupport in improving their practices.
Thisapproach will also enable the ASC to become a more efficient serviceprovider by reducing costs for producers who wish to gain ASCcertification, he said, adding that the ASC has granted qualitycertifications to around 3,000 labels on the market and over 500,000tonnes of products.
In 2014, the VietnameseGovernment issued Decree No 36/2014/ND-CP on growing, processing andexporting catfish, stipulating that farms must receive VietGAP orequivalent certifications by the end of 2015, evidence of the VietnameseGovernment’s commitment to developing sustainable aquaculture.-VNA
