Because, starting 1 September 2017, imported pangasius from Vietnam will be treated the same way as domestically produced catfish and therefore be subject to the scrutiny of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Southeast Asian country is tightening regulations surrounding the farmed fish so that it can continue to meet the requirements of one of its most important markets.
Tran Dinh Luan, deputy director of fisheries for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) told a meeting at Seafood Expo Global (SEG 17) in Brussels that the new U.S. import requirements concern the whole pangasius supply chain – from the broodstock, hatchery, fish farms and processing plants to the programs for water quality and chemical residues.
Although the pangasius industry already claims to be among the most tightly regulated fish industries in the world, Vietnam is ready to go one step further and fully co-operate in this program in order to continue exporting to the United States, said Luan.
The move comes at a time where pangasius continues to be a “battled fish in the European market,” acknowledged the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), adding that “it is sad to notice that alternative facts continue to be published."
Over the last few months, a documentary broadcasted in Spain and the decision of Carrefour to stop selling pangasius “created turmoil once again” and led to a dramatic fall in pangasius sales, said VASEP.
“How can it be that an industry that is among the most tightly controlled fish industries in the world continues to be hit by negative press? An industry that exports one of the most popular seafood products in the world to more than 160 countries.”
VASEP said that all pangasius exporting companies must comply with strict international food safety regulations and that those quality management and food safety management systems are no different than those of their European or American counterparts.
This has, said the association, been confirmed by scientific research by Wageningen University in 2016, which demonstrated that the fish was completely safe to eat and that stories about it being toxic “are complete rubbish.” In addition, the top 20 pangasius exporters to the European market, that account for 80 percent of the export value, all have integrated production with farms that are all Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certified.
