WWF, Vietnam split over agreement
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The World Wide Fund for Nature and Vietnamese aquaculture agencies have failed to agree terms for a memorandum of understanding for developing a sustainable catfish industry in the country.
At a meeting in Hanoi Thursday, the visiting WWF delegation wanted Vietnam to adopt the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) standards for its catfish, but Vietnamese officials turned down the demand.
The ASC refers to a new set of standards and certification created by the WWF and the Dutch Sustainable Trade Initiative last year.
Tien Phong newspaper quoted Pham Anh Tuan, deputy head of the General Directorate of Fisheries, as saying: “We do not know what the ASC really is.”
The MoU will just say that the two parties will help tra catfish farmers meet international standards in environmental protection, social development, and food hygiene and safety, he insisted.
Since Vietnamese catfish farmers and processors work to many international standards, it may not be necessary to adopt a new one that they have little knowledge about, Nguyen Tu Cuong, a member of the Vietnam Fisheries Association management board, said.
Vietnamese aquaculture exports meet international quality standards like the SQF 1000 certification from the US-based Food Marketing Institute, Global Good Agricultural Practices (Global GAP) recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the US’ Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point.
So, it is up to farmers and processors to adopt it or not, Cuong added.
The Global GAP certification costs US$7,500 for a five-hectare catfish farm.
Earlier, at a meeting Wednesday, the WWF agreed to remove Vietnamese catfish from consumer guidance red list of unsafe food products.
Selling the ASC certification?
Adopting the ASC in Vietnam means WWF will get paid for certifying [farms and processing units], Tuan toldNguoi Lao Dong newspaper.
While Vietnamese aquaculture officials have yet to accept it, the WWF seems to have taken it for granted.
Its website, wwf.panda.org, said Wednesday: “The WWF, the Vietnamese government, and key Vietnamese industry, fisheries, and aquaculture bodies today reached agreement on working together to achieve certified sustainable production of Pangasius in Vietnam.
“As part of this agreement, and in recognition of the Vietnamese government’s commitment to seeking sustainability certification of Vietnam’s Pangasius production, the WWF will place Pangasius in a new ‘Moving Towards Certification’ category in its popular seafood guide.”
WWF global seafood coordinator Mark Powell said: “The WWF’s ‘Moving Towards Certification’ category will mean the WWF will encourage seafood buyers to continue buying Pangasius to support the transition.
“The new category is intended to indicate an improving trend in the Pangasius aquaculture sector. Additionally, the WWF will commit to seek funding for certification processes.”
The two parties stuck to their respective agendas at their next meeting Friday.
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