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August 2021 Editorial

South East Asian seafood is of key importance to direct and indirect food security in the region and globally. Vietnam alone exports seafood to more than 160 markets around the world and has set up an ambitious aquaculture development strategy by 2030, by which marine aquaculture production reaches 1,450,000 MT, with an export turnover from marine aquaculture expected at 3-4 billion USD (source: Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs). 

In 2020 already, Vietnam imported 200,000 tons of fishmeal, making it one of the largest importers in Asia (source: Kanematsu).

To support food security at a global and regional scale, it is of vital importance that access to sustainably sourced and produced materials be ensured. At IFFO we praise the existence of certified production sites of marine ingredients  in Vietnam, largely focused on by-products, and also promising Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) in Thailand, which contribute to MarinTrust’s pilot on multispecies fisheries. FIPs do not allow claims to be made on certification but they undoubtedly are a path towards responsible fishery management practices and stakeholder engagement. As for certified sites processing by-products, they are key in ensuring a larger use of recycled materials in the future, thus making the most of trimmings from processed fish destined to direct human consumption.

Vietnam and Thailand are strategically placed in the region. This is why IFFO focused its attention on Vietnam in a dedicated webinar earlier this month (read more here) and commissioned a study on South East Asian fisheries together with the Global Aquaculture Alliance. It is instrumental that this region, its culture and practices be understood, that knowledge be gathered, so that Vietnam can play its role in the local and global food system, sustainably.

 

In the August 2021 edition of our newsletter, the following topics are addressed: