Solutions to Sustainable Aquaculture Development

As one of the founding members of the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA), Vietnam has actively applied the GlobalGAP (Good Agricultural Practices), BMP (Better Management Practices), SQF (Safe Quality Food)-1000 programme, advanced aquaculture technologies, and biotechnology in agriculture as well as strengthening national supervision programmes for excessive use of chemicals at breeding farms. As a result, in 2012, Vietnam produced 3.2 million tonnes of aquatic products, making up 55 percent of the fishery sector’s output, up 6.8 percent compared to 2011’s figure, ranking Vietnam the third in Asia Pacific region and a top exporter of seafood products in the world.

 

At the 24th NACA annual meeting opened in Can Tho City from February 25 to 27, 2013, Vu Van Tam, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: Vietnamese fishery development strategy till 2020 defines that aquaculture will be developed in the direction of modern industrialisation, increased quality and ensured sustainability to ensure food security, nutrition, food safety and hygiene.

In fact, the pursuit of sustainable aquaculture development in Vietnam in particular and countries in the Asia - Pacific region in general has faced many challenges arising from unpredictable climate change, food safety standards and more stringent product origins, etc. and difficulties in breeding space planning, breed quality, disease control, environmental warnings. However, from what it has made, Vietnam has contributed greatly to scientific research and popularity of aquaculture experience for member countries and the Asia - Pacific region, said Dr Ambekar Eknath, NACA Director.

 

Becoming a responsible producer is a goal for Vietnamese pangasius industry set by State management agencies and the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). Over the past 20 years, Vietnam’s pangasius export volume has increased 50 folds and aquaculture has been developed at unprecedented rate in all harvest seasons. Exponential growth has placed the responsibility of related units for environmental, social and food safety issues. In that context, the voluntary participation in the aquaculture certification and aquatic labelling programme of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is a necessary way to ensure the stable and sustainable development of this sector. VASEP is committed to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Vietnam and stakeholders on a roadmap for implementation of ASC in Vietnam. Accordingly, 50 per cent of exported pangasius will be certified ASC in 2015.

 

Together the above activities, the year 2013 also witnesses Vietnam’s attempt in natural fishing management to protect natural resources and sustainable development.

 

Recently, the General Department of Fisheries has started the construction of a national action plan in a bid to strengthen fish management capacity with financial and technical support from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The National Plan of Action (NPOA) for management of fishing capacity is built for Vietnam on fundamental principles, legal bases (International Plan of Action - IPOA, Regional Plan of Action- RPOA, commitments and conventions related, etc.) and technical guidance from FAO like the code of conducts - COC.

 

Currently, a depletion of marine resources, unsecured food safety for post-harvest products, and environmental degradation are the issues the fishing capacity management programme needs to solve. NPOA is expected to be built in 2013.