There are only about 90 tons of seafood which has been caught and not exported yet

Among more than 5,400 tons of seafood materials purchased from 32 fishing ports that lack S/C certificates and are yet to complete export procedures, there are only about 90 tons that are unresolved.

Seafood exports to the EU must present Certificate of exploitation origin. Photo: T.H

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), as of March 25, 2019, there were more than 5,000 tons of exploited seafood materials purchased from 32 fishing ports that lack seafood materials exploited certificate (S/C) to complete export procedures. However, from March 26, 2019, 29 of 32 ports announced they would be able to handle the majority of goods eligible for export.

The remaining three fishing ports are Xeo Nhau (Kien Giang province), Hung Thai port (Ba Ria - Vung Tau province) and Ky Ha port (Quang Nam province) with about 90 tons of seafood purchased by three companies that they are not on the list of fishing ports designated by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development due to inadequate conditions or are not included in the list of fishing port masterplan under Decision 1976 / QD-TTg in 2015 of the Prime Minister.

Thus, among more than 5,400 tons of exploited seafood materials purchased from 32 fishing ports which lack S / C papers, until today it has been basically solved for enterprises eligible for export.

As of March 26, 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced in 47 out of 83 fishing ports in 18 provinces and coastal cities "there is enough information to confirm the origin of exploited fisheries". According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with 47 fishing ports announced, the demand of confirming the seafood origin of enterprises was basically met.

At a recent conference, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ha Cong Tuan directed the Legal Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) to work with the Directorate of Fisheries to direct Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to review, evaluate and report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for approval.

It is possible to issue a decision to designate "fishing ports have a complete system for seafood certification from exploitation" in April 2019.

For ports that are not eligible, the Directorate of Fisheries shall coordinate with the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development in the provinces to create conditions for these ports to upgrade their facilities as well as human resources. The Directorate of Fisheries will also ask Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to issue a designation decision when these ports meet requirements.