The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and Vietnamese Directorate of Fisheries (D-Fish) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on June 22 pledging to work together to promote responsible aquaculture in Vietnam through a step-wise approach from VietGAP to ASC certification.
Last year the government of Vietnam decreed that pangasius fish farming, processing and exporting must be certified to VietGAP or equivalent standards by the end of 2015. This project is further evidence of its commitment to developing a sustainable aquaculture sector.
“The Vietnamese government is committed to reducing the negative impacts of fish farming in the country,” said Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, deputy director general of D-Fish. “Building on the mandate that farms must meet VietGAP standards, this project will help move farms toward an internationally recognized standard, provide access to international markets and ensure a more responsible aquaculture sector.”
Chris Ninnes (seated at left), ASC’s chief executive officer, and Dr. Pham Anh Tuan (seated at right), deputy director general of D-Fish, sign a memorandum of understanding in Hanoi on the eve of the Responsible Business Forum.
The organizations will implement a joint project to create guidance for VietGAP-certified farmers to help them progress to ASC certification. The project is designed to allow farms to make step-by-step improvements in their practices with the goal of reaching the ASC standard.
“I am delighted to sign this MoU,” said Chris Ninnes, ASC’s chief executive officer. “Through this project ASC is engaging with a tier of farmers who are currently not able to meet the ASC requirements, including small holders, who will benefit from greater support in delivering improvements in their practices. This approach also means that ASC becomes a more efficient service provider by reducing costs for producers who wish to gain ASC certification.”
Aquaculture certification plays an important role in promoting and assuring responsible practices that protect the environment and communities, while also benefiting society. This project has the potential to lead to greater collaboration between the two organizations by adopting the area-based management approach.
About ASC
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council is an independent, not-for-profit organization co-founded by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) in 2010 to manage the certification of responsible fish farming across the globe. ASC standards require farm performance to be measured against both environmental and social requirements. Certification is through an independent third party process and (draft) reports are uploaded to the public ASC website. The on-pack ASC logo assures consumers that the fish they purchase has been farmed with minimal impacts on the environment and on society.
