Vietnamese associations and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) recently signed a long-term cooperation memorandum of understanding (MoU) to help Vietnamese tra fish products earn the Aquatic Stewardship Council (ASC) certified credit label.
Under the MoU, the WWF will give presentations on ASC criteria for tra breeders for six months and then collect opinions from experts and Vietnam’s tra breeders. WWF will take responsibility for covering the funding for these presentations. After surveys have been collected, if WWF criteria are suitable to Vietnam’s context in tra aquaculture, farmers will breed tra fish under these criteria.
Vietnamese signers included the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) and the Vietnam Fisheries Society (VINAFISH). Nguyen Tu Cuong, the standing committee member of VINAFISH, said application of ASC certification depended completely on whether WWF criteria apply properly to Vietnamese tra breeders or not.
“Six months is the necessary period for tra breeders and related parties to learn about and give opinions on ASC standards. Vietnam’s tra breeders will only apply these criteria when they know clearly what the ASC is and whether the ASC is necessary for them or not,” he said.
Currently, Vietnam’s tra breeders are raising tra fish under the Code of Conduct (COC) from the Food Agriculture Organisation.
