Vietfishmagazine

>> 75

Closely monitor seed

and feed production for
mariculture
>> 10

ANNUAL FARMED SHRIMP

PRODUCTION SURVEY
A slight decrease in
production reduction
in 2023 with hopes for
renewed growth in 2024
>> 14

EFFORTS OF VIETNAM’S
SEAFOOD INDUSTRY TO REMOVE
IUU YELLOW CARD
Current situation and
solution proposals
>> 30

DEVELOPING
THE MARINE “In company with
shrimp farmers”

AQUACULTURE
>> 36
Photo: Selva Shrimp

Catch welfare platform

attracts international

INDUSTRY
representatives around
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>> 8-9 >> 38

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 www.vietfishmagazine.com

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VietfishmagazineVIETFISHMAGAZINE.COM
CONTENT 3
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

Vietnam Fisheries Magazine

Nguyen Dinh Chieu 116,
Da Kao Ward, District 1,
70000 Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam
Tel : +84 28 6277 7616
Fax: +84 24 3771 1756
vietfishmagazine@gmail.com
www.vietfishmagazine.com

Hanoi Office
Nguyen Cong hoan 10,
Ba Dinh District,
100000 Ha Noi, Vietnam
Tel: +84 24 3771 3699
Fax: +84 24 3771 1756

Editor
Hung Duong
toasoan@thuysanvietnam.com.vn

Publisher
Nam Anh
namanh@thuysanvietnam.com.vn

Associate Editor
Minh Thanh
minhthanh@thuysanvietnam.com.vn
Linh Nguyen
hailinh@thuysanvietnam.com.vn
Industry News
Design and Layout 6 Seafood exports to the US, China and Japan surpass USD one billion
Duong Pham
duongpham@thuysanvietnam.com.vn
Issue Highlight
Media Manager 8 Developing the marine aquaculture industry
Nghia Duong 10 Closely monitor seed and feed production for mariculture
+84 944 66 3828
nghia@thuysanvietnam.com.vn Features
14 Annual farmed shrimp production survey: A slight decrease in production reduction in
2023 with hopes for renewed growth in 2024
Subscriptions 17 Insights from Venezuela’s trailblazing top shrimp producer
Vietnam Fisheries Magazine is
published bimonthly.
Digital subscription inquiries or
Innovation
changes, please contact 26 How to combine sustainability and economic effiency
www.vietfishmagazine.com
Email: vietfishmagazine@gmail.com The Vietfish Interview
Tel : +84 28 6277 7616 28 An interview with Truong Thi Le Khanh, “Queen of Vietnamese Pangasius”
Fax: +84 24 3771 1756
Expert Topic
30 Efforts of Vietnam’s seafood industry to remove IUU Yellow card: Current situation and
solution proposals
Copyright ©2021 Vietfish Magazine. All right
reserved. No part of this publication may Company news
be reproduced in any form or by any means
36 Vietshrimp: In company with shrimp farmers
without prior permission of the copyright
owner. More information can be found at 37 Hatch Blue fifth accelerator programme
www.vietfishmagazine.com 38 Catch Welfare platform attracts international representatives around the world
4
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
 5
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
6 INDUSTRY NEWS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
Shrimp exports to US surge in September
Shrimp exports to the U.S. in September increased 23% compared to
the same period last year, marking the third consecutive month of positive
growth. The 23% growth in September was also the highest compared to
the previous two months, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood
Exporters and Producers (VASEP). However, in the nine months of 2023,
shrimp exports to the U.S. reached 520 million USD, down 23% compared
to the same period. The bigger export is due to higher consumption in
the U.S. market. The International Monetary Fund raised its U.S. growth
projection for this year by 0.3 percentage points, compared with its July
update, to 2.1%. It hiked next year’s forecast by 0.5 percentage points, to
1.5%. Vietnam’s shrimp exports to all markets reached 2.5 billion USD in
the first nine months of this year, down 26% from 2022.
Vietnamese lobsters half price as Chinese orders shrink
Diminishing exports to China’s massive market has Vietnamese ornate
rock lobsters selling for 42-54 USD a kilogram, half the price of two months
ago. According to lobster harvesters in the central province of Khanh Hoa,
prices are at the lowest point in two years. China is the biggest importer
of Vietnamese lobsters. Lobster vendors in the province said they have
decided to stop selling their lobsters or now in hopes prices will spike for
the Lunar New Year early next year. Seafood shops in Ho Chi Minh City
are selling ornate rock lobsters for 1.4-1.7 million VND per kilogram.
Domestic and overseas demand for seafood is down. China currently
favors painted spiny lobsters because their prices are lower. According to
the Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, Vietnam exported
lobsters worth a total 76 million USD to China in the first eight months,
a year-on-year decline of 42%. While reducing imports from Vietnam,
China is now buying more lobsters from Canada, Australia, the U.S., New
Zealand, Cuba, India, Brazil, and Mexico.
Catfish exports to China drop
Pangasius exports to China in the first eight months of this year
fell 28% to 406 million USD, according to the Vietnam Association of
Seafood Exporters and Producers. Since September Chinese demand for
the fish has not increased much even as it has stepped up imports from
Norway, South Korea, Australia, and Chile. The director of a pangasius
export company in southern An Giang Province told VFM that demand
from Chinese hotels and restaurants for the catfish is low now. Chinese
consumers prefer fresh seafood over frozen products. Besides difficulties
in exporting, Vietnamese pangasius firms are also facing high input
and farming costs. According to data from catfish exporters, farmers’
production costs are now over 1.1 USD per kilogram while their selling
price is 300 – 500 VND lower. The average export price is 2.5 - 2.6 USD
per kilogram, down from 3.2 USD a year ago. According to VASEP,
demand for Vietnamese pangasius will increase again in the fourth
quarter, the peak season in China.
Seafood exports to the US, China and Japan surpass
USD one billion
By September 2023, Vietnam exported a worth of USD 2.55 billion
of shrimp, 25% less than the same period last year. However, the recent
export results have shown signs of recovery compared to previous
months. The two main markets, the US and China, have started to
increase their demand, and exports to these two economic powers have
recorded positive growth in the last two months. Some major markets
in the CPTPP bloc, such as Japan, Australia, Canada, are also increasing
their purchases of Vietnamese shrimps. Vietnam saw nearly USD 1.4
billion from pangasius exports by the end of Sep 2023, down 31% from
the same period last year. Signs of recovery have been shown in sales of
pangasius in China, Mexico, Brazil, the Netherlands, UK, and the US. In
September, pangasius exports to some markets were equal to or higher
than the same period of 2022.
Likewise, tuna exports have shown signs of improvement, with September
sales matching those of 2022. However, the slump in earlier this year resulted
in a 23% decrease in the accumulated value of the first nine months of tuna
exports, with USD 623 million worth. By late September, exports to the top
three markets, the US, China, and Japan, reached the goal of 1 USD. The
US has ranked the first position with nearly USD 1.2 billion worth being
recorded, 33% less than the same period last year. Vietnam achieved USD
1.15 billion worth from exporting seafood to China - Hongkong in the first
three quarters of the year, down 15%, and nearly USD 1.1 billion from Japan,
down 14% as compared to the same period last year.
In September alone, seafood exports to the US, China, and EU
recovered, up 4 - 17% from the same period last year; however, exports
to Japan were 15% lower than Sep 2022. The market has shown some
good signs, especially in quarter IV, thus, if no disruption is reported and
material is not in a significant short supply, Vietnam may achieve about
USD 9.2 - 9.3 billion from seafood exports.
QUANG NGAI
The HDPE cage farming model for cobia brings in
positive results
In 2022, the model was initially implemented by farmer Vo Xuan Tot
in Dong An Hai hamlet, Ly Son district, with a cage of 125 m³, stocking
1,000 fingerlings, 15 to 18 cm each, at a stocking density of 8 head/m³.
After 9 months, he harvested over 3.5 tons of cobia, with an average weight
exceeding 5 kg each. The average selling price was above 190,000 VND/kg.
After deducting expenses, he earned nearly 200 million dong profit.
In 2023, the Provincial Agricultural Promotion Center continued to
invest into another two cages, which would be installed in the farming
areas owned by farmer Nguyen Loi and Truong Dinh Phu in Tay An Hai
hamlet, Ly Son district, with a total volume of 250 m³. In April 2023,
2,000 cobia fingerlings were stocked, 15-18 cm long each. After nearly
5 months of farming, cobia in those farms have shown good growth
and development, with an average weight of 1.5 - 1.7 kg per fish and a
survival rate of 90%, while the traditional cage farming just presents 70-
75%. It is expected that, after 9 months of farming (by the end of 2023),
the fish will be harvested at a weight of 5 kg each, with a survival rate of
approximately 85% - 90%.
CA MAU
Deploy the project of developing crab and blood cockle
products
Ca Mau has the largest aquaculture area in the country, about 303,000
ha, accounting for nearly 30% of the total farming area of Vietnam and
about 40% of the farming area of the Mekong Delta. Besides shrimp,
mud crab and blood cockle are species in a high demand for domestic
consumption and exports. However, crab and blood cockle aquaculture
faces some difficulties, for example: the production of breeding stock hasn’t
met requirements in both quality and quantity; these species are reared
in extensive ponds, facilities are small scale, selling prices are unstable,
most of the products are live and fresh but processed, the market is quite
small, products are exported mainly through border gates, and the access
to credit is difficult.
VFM
 INDUSTRY NEWS 7
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

Prevent smuggling, trading and News

transportation of lobster seeds

Phu Yen Provincial People’s Committee has just issued a document
requesting the Heads of the Provincial Departments, Committees and
branches and the Chairman of People’s Committees of coastal districts,
towns and cities in the province to deploy solutions to prevent smuggling,
trading and transportation of lobster seeds.
This is a move to implement the opinion of the Ministry of Agriculture
and Rural Development on preventing the smuggling, trading and
transportation of lobster seeds.
Accordingly, the People’s Committee of Phu Yen province assigned
the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to preside and
coordinate to organize the review, statistics, and updates of organizations
and individuals producing, nurturing, and trading lobster breeds in the
province. At the same time, strengthen propaganda, inspection, examination
and strict handling of organizations and individuals that produce, nurse,
and trade lobster breeds against regulations in the province; improve state
management responsibility for lobster breeds.
Strengthen control and quarantine of lobster seed transportation.
Strictly handle according to regulations or transfer to competent authorities
to handle cases of illegal trading and transportation of lobster seeds into
the province.
Standing Steering Committee 389 of the province presides over and
coordinates with relevant agencies and units to organize inspection and
control the market to promptly detect and strictly handle cases of illegally
transporting and trading lobster breeds into the province and lobster breeds
of unknown origin on the market. In case of catching illegal shipments of
lobster seeds, coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural
Development to take immediate handling measures according to current
regulations.
The Provincial Police and Border Guards urgently deployed forces and
organized to grasp the situation. Use synchronous and effective professional
measures and tactics to strictly manage subjects, routes, areas, and key and
complex areas for illegal import, trading, and transportation of lobster
breeds to promptly detect, and coordinate with relevant authorities to
inspect, prevent and strictly handle according to the law...
VFM
NUMBERS AND FACTS
Raising pangasius for export in the Mekong Delta Photo: Le Hoang Vu
 The pangasius chain must share rights and responsibilities, this
is a prerequisite for this industry to win many victories. To do that, it
is necessary to continue to promote the role of industry associations,
have a mechanism to control farming planning strictly, and, at the
same time, build a mechanism to control the prices of feed and
aquatic veterinary drugs on the market.
 Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha chaired the
Coordination Conference for the North Central and Central Coast
regions, with the theme “Planning for the North Central and
Central Coast regions for the period 2021 - 2030, vision to 2050” in
Da Nang City on October 11.
 At the workshop on “Elevating the Value of Vietnamese
Agricultural Products” held in Vinh Long province, Associate
Professor Dr. Vo Thanh Danh, a lecturer at the College of Economics
at Can Tho University, shared insights into global agricultural market
trends and solutions to enhance the value of key agricultural products
in the Mekong Delta region.
 It is known that currently, the entire Van Ninh district has
35,000 cages for raising lobsters of all kinds, of which about 50% are
for raising rock lobsters. Previously, 1 month ago, the price of rock
lobsters purchased by traders ranged from VND 1.6-1.7 million/
kg, with the daily price for farmers earning a profit of VND 500-600
thousand/kg. Lobster farming requires a huge investment because
the lobster farming period lasts from 10-12 months for freshwater
prawns when the lobsters reach a size of about 3/kg. While rock
lobsters are raised for about 18-20 months, the lobster reaches a size
of about 0.8 - 1 kg/lobster.

 Aquaculture Research Institute III has successfully researched

76 million USD
Is the number of Vietnam
lobster exports to China in the first
8 months of this year, representing
a 42% decrease.
1.800 ha
Is the number of annual
pangasius farming area in An Giang
province. The province currently
has 20 enterprises with 23 pangasius
processing factories, processing
capacity reaching 323,420 tons/year.
28
Is is the number of provinces
and cities across the country that
have the sea, Vietnam has a long
coastline of over 3,260 km and
over 3,000 islands of different
sizes.
6.64 billion USD
Is the number of Vietnam’s
export of fishery products in
September 2023, down 21.7% over
the last period.
technology for producing many varieties of mariculture. Technologies
have been and are being applied to production practices. Every year,
tens of millions of breeds are provided to serve as parents for seed
production and commercial farming. The technological process for
producing artificial varieties of spiny lobster (Panulirus ornatus) is
being implemented. The results of the project rearing spiny lobster
larvae from stage I to stage X show great promise in successfully
producing spiny lobster varieties under artificial conditions.
 The US has been the leading importer of Vietnamese tuna for
years. Vietnam saw a rise by 2.5 times in tuna export value in the US,
with a record high of nearly USD 487 million in 2022, just ten years
after Vietnam and the US established comprehensive partnerships. 
8 ISSUE HIGHLIGHT
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
DEVELOPING
THE MARINE AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY
Vietnam’s goal by 2030 is to achieve a marine aquaculture production of 1.45 million tons, with exports ranging from 1.8 to 2 billion USD. Currently, marine
aquaculture remains largely manual and needs a restructuring towards increased technological advancements, planning for aquaculture areas, and ensuring
environmental control for sustainable development.
Initial achievements in Quang Ninh
Quang Ninh province, with over 6,000 km2
of sea area, possesses substantial potential for
marine fish farming. Presently, there are more
than 15,000 marine fish farming cages spanning
an area of around 2,200 hectares, concentrated
in Van Don, Dam Ha, Hai Ha, Cam Pha.
Do Dinh Minh, Dead of the provincial
Fisheries Sub-department, stated that in
2022, marine aquaculture yielded 87,000 tons,
accounting for over 54% of the total seafood
production of 161,000 tons. This shift has
reduced the proportion of wild-caught seafood
from nearly 57% in the past to approximately
46% today (the marine aquaculture production
accounted for just 43% in 2014)..
Quang Ninh is also advancing the
industrialization of aquaculture, particularly
through the replacement of traditional materials
with more durable and environmentally
friendly materials. The Phat Co Cooperative in
Van Don district, one of the leading facilities,
utilizes HDPE material for marine fish farming.
The cooperative, in collaboration with the
Super Truong Phat Plastic Group, has built a
marine farm combined with ecotourism.
The 5-hectare farm includes a center
building, a 240 m2 guest reception area with a
capacity of over 60 people, fish cages for visitors
to swim, and a check-in platform covering 16
m2. The fish cages range from square cages
measuring 16–30 m2 to circular cages with a
diameter of 12 m for the culture of pompano,
grouper, and seabass.. Visitors can experience
fishing on rafts and enjoy self-caught seafood.
Nguyen Thi Hai Binh, CEO of Super Truong
Phat Group, emphasizes that the integration
of marine aquaculture with ecotourism is a
strategic direction to unlock the potential of
Vietnam’s coastal areas. aquaculture promotes the growth of production
and supply of HDPE and composite materials,
Multi-Sector Integration the development of shipbuilding to supply
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Huu Dung, marine aquaculture equipment, automatic
Chairman of the Vietnam Marine Association, feed dispensers, specialized ships, and canoes.
highlights that the sustainable development The energy and mechanical industries are
of the marine aquaculture industry requires also expanding to mechanize aquaculture,
a multi-sector approach. Firstly, it involves generate power from solar, wind, waves, and
combining aquaculture with tourism. Marine tides, and desalinate seawater. Simultaneously,
 ISSUE HIGHLIGHT 9
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

automation technologies are being developed

to manufacture automated feeding systems and
real-time marine environmental monitoring,
as well as underwater cameras. Biological
technologies are evolving to provide probiotics,
vaccines, bioproducts, and high-value
bioproducts from marine organisms.
In line with the strategy of combining
aquaculture with tourism, Associate Professor,
Dr. Pham Quoc Hung at Nha Trang University
proposes five solutions: Firstly, referring to
international aquaculture and tourism models
and adapting them to Vietnam’s conditions.
Secondly, create pilot models for economic,
social, environmental, and ecological impact
assessments. Thirdly, establish and preserve
the marine aquaculture ecosystem. Fourthly,
provide aquaculture workers with practical
tourism knowledge and skills. Fifthly, a national
comprehensive plan should be given.
Vietnam has already established marine
aquaculture in three famous tourist centers in
the North, Central, and South, including Quang
Ninh, Khanh Hoa, and Kien Giang. Quang
Ninh focuses on marine fish and mollusks,
Khanh Hoa on lobsters, and Kien Giang on
pearl farming in Phu Quoc city.

Shifting from manual to industrial

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Huu Dung
emphasizes the transformation from traditional
fishing to commercial fishing: moving from
inshore and nearshore marine farming to
open sea and offshore farming, implementing
integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA)
involving fish, mollusks, and seaweed. The
integration between aquaculture and other
marine economic sectors, such as tourism, oil
and gas, plastics, wind power, and maritime
transport, is essential.
For further development of marine
aquaculture, research is needed to assess the
environmental carrying capacity for aquaculture
zone planning. Protection of genetic resources
and the development of broodstock for high-
value native seafood species is also crucial.
Research on artificial and natural reproduction aquaculture vessels, and marine aquaculture Dr. Dung recommends that the Vietnam
for certain seafood species, industrial feed combined with tourism and wind power. Association of Shipbuilding and the Vietnam
production for high-value species, seaweed Aquaculture Association jointly propose to
and mollusk processing into food and Opportunities for the shipbuilding industry the Government the construction of large-
pharmaceuticals, and the application of digital According to Dr. Nguyen Huu Dung, one of scale industrial offshore aquaculture vessels to
technology, mechanization, automation, and the sectors that can support the development expand the industry’s scale and reduce waste.
new energy sources to the marine aquaculture of marine aquaculture is the shipbuilding Furthermore, Dr. Dung also suggests reaching an
industry are essential. industry. In particular, the construction of agreement for cooperation with the Association
Dr Nguyen Huu Dung suggests the large offshore aquaculture vessels, similar to of Science and Technology for Shipbuilding so
development of high-tech marine fish farms, China’s model, is a suggestion that Vietnam can as to test and apply equipment and machinery to
RAS (Recirculating Aquaculture Systems) consider. Moreover, the shipbuilding industry serve industrial marine aquaculture. Additionally,
hatcheries, industrial clam and oyster farming can also produce vessels for the transportation he suggests that both associations collaborate to
with microalgae feed additives, seaweed of aquaculture services and the production of design industrial marine aquaculture equipment
cultivation on fabric, crab farming and automatic feeding equipment for marine cages combined with maritime ecotourism.
processing, IMTA models, offshore marine through mechanization and automation. VFM
 10 ISSUE HIGHLIGHT
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
Closely monitor seed and feed production for
mariculture
Breeds and food are two essential factors in developing mariculture. Therefore, delegates said it is necessary to monitor the breed and food quality closely.
Currently, breeds and food are two essential factors in developing mariculture
Not fully proactive about breeds and food
At the workshop to develop breeds and
feed for mariculture in 2023 organized by the
Department of Fisheries on the morning of
September 8 in Nha Trang City, Mr. Le Van Hoan,
Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa Department of
Agriculture and Rural Development, said it is
known that the province has great potential and
strengths to develop mariculture. Lobster is the
province’s key mariculture species, with over
64,000 cages and over 1,300 tons/year output.
In addition, marine fish such as sea bass,
grouper, cobia, pompano... are also raised in
bays and lagoons with nearly 9,800 cages, with
a total output of about 8,000 tons. In addition,
objects such as mud crabs, Pacific oysters,
geoduck, and seaweed are contributing to
helping coastal people improve their income.
Khanh Hoa is also one of the localities with
many aquatic breed production and nursery
establishments in the Central region. Various
aquatic breeds are produced, including tiger
shrimp and white-legged shrimp, snails, sea
fish, geoduck, crabs, sea cucumbers... Besides
providing for local seed needs, the province
exports to other western and northern provinces.
Regarding aquatic breed production, the
province is currently limited and not fully
Photo: KS
proactive in artificially produced breeds, such as
lobsters, some marine fish species, and seaweed.
Furthermore, the breed created does not meet the
demand for commercial farming. Infrastructure
for aquatic seed production has not been invested
adequately, mainly on a small scale...
For lobster farming in Khanh Hoa province,
people use fresh food from sources exploited
in coastal waters, including trash fish, small
crustaceans, and mollusks such as oysters and
mussels. As for marine fish farming, we use
both fresh food and industrial food.
Like Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen is also a province
with great potential for marine farming. However,

according to Mrs. Le Thi Hang Nga, Deputy
Director of Phu Yen Fisheries Branch, mariculture
production facilities are limited. The province has
22 aquatic breed production facilities, but only a
few marine fish production facilities meet market
requirements and no long-term, sustainable
production plan exists. Besides, the province does
not have any units producing food for mariculture.
Two important factors for developing
mariculture
At the conference, delegates and experts said
that breeds and food are leading two essential
factors in developing mariculture.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Huu
Dung, Chairman of the Vietnam Seaculture
Association, said that breeds and feed account
for more than 80% of the cost and are two critical
factors in developing seaculture. Therefore,
we need to manage breeds and feed closely to
develop sustainable marine farming. To do this,
we need to apply digital technology.
The representative of Nha Trang University
also said that the number of farms raising
our broodstock is currently few. Mainly, the
farms buy eggs to incubate and raise the breed.
Therefore, the breed output will ensure quality if
the parent herd is well managed.
Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Van Dung,
representative of the Plant Seed, Livestock and
Aquaculture Service Center of Kien Giang
province, said that currently, choosing parents
to get eggs and incubate them into fry has been
done well. However, selecting parents with
better genetic characteristics has not been done
yet. Therefore, he proposed that the Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development should
ISSUE HIGHLIGHT 11
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
“Every year, tens of millions of breeds
are provided to serve as parents for
seed production and commercial
farming. The technological process for
producing artificial varieties of spiny
lobster (Panulirus ornatus) is being
implemented.”
place orders for Institutes and schools or
have policies to attract businesses to invest in
producing quality breeds.
Mr. Tran Dinh Luan, Director of the
Department of Fisheries, suggested that
localities in the coming time need to review the
conditions of aquatic breed production facilities
and feed and cage facilities for raising brood fish.
Localities must clearly understand where each
production facility, nursery, and broodstock is
raised for strict management.
The Department of Fisheries will also review
the issue of raising parent herds and raising
breeds. Soon, the Department of Fisheries will
also discuss with seed production and nurseries
to discuss and establish a supply chain to provide
stable, quality seed to serve mariculture. Also,
State management agencies will strengthen the
supervision of breeds and aquatic feed quality.
VFM
12
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
 FEATURE 13
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
 14 FEATURES
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

ANNUAL FARMED SHRIMP PRODUCTION SURVEY

A slight decrease in production reduction

in 2023 with hopes for renewed growth in 2024

 DARRYL JORY, PH.D.

Global shrimp production forecast of 5.6

million metric tons is slightly lower for this year
This article summarizes the annual Global
Shrimp Aquaculture Production Survey and
Forecast report from the Global Seafood
Alliance, jointly prepared with Gorjan Nikolik
of Rabobank and presented at the recent
Responsible Seafood Summit 2023 held in Saint
John, New Brunswick, Canada.
Survey results indicate that the world’s
production of farmed shrimp in 2023 will likely
be slightly lower (down 0.4 percent) at around
5.6 million metric tons (MMT) than in 2022, but
that it is expected to grow by about 4.8 percent
in 2024 to close to 5.88 MMT.
The top five producers in 2023 include,
in order, Ecuador, China, India, Vietnam
and Indonesia; these countries will account
Fig. 1: After a strong 2022, the global shrimp supply will be flat or slightly lower in 2023; but a return to growth is 2023 and projected to grow to
expected in 2024
Overall results of the 2023 survey of the global farmed shrimp industry suggest that after a strong 2022, the industry will see a modest supply decline of about 0.4 percent in 2023,
and a more optimistic outlook for next year with an expected growth of 4.8 percent predicted for 2024 Photo by Darryl Jory
for about 74 percent of global production in Asia
2023. Other important producers in Asia – Shrimp production in Asia is projected to
including Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, decline by slightly over 3 percent in 2023, the
Myanmar and others – will first annual decrease in a decade, but is projected
contribute around 840,000 to recover by close to 4 percent in 2024. These
MT. And in Latin America, numbers are based on the lower of two estimates
other producers led by Brazil, for China (about 1.06 MMT) in 2023; with the
Mexico and Venezuela will higher estimate for China (about 2 MMT per
add about 500,000 MT to other sources), Asia’s total for 2023 could be close
world production in 2023. to 5 MMT. The industry in China is reportedly
The Pacific white shrimp expanding rapidly with the use of greenhouses
(Litopenaeus vannamei) and RAS technology, which allow year-round
continues to strongly production in many areas where open ponds
dominate global production, traditionally produced only one crop annually.
while black tiger shrimp India’s production of vannamei is contracting
(Penaeus monodon) sharply in 2023 (possibly by 12 percent or so)
production keeps increasing but its monodon production appears to continue
and is contributing an expanding, a sustained trend over recent years.
estimated 550,000 MT in Some recovery (about 2 percent) for its vannamei
production is expected in 2024. Similarly,
close to 600,000 MT in 2024. Vietnamese production of vannamei in 2023
 FEATURES 15
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

Fig. 2: Asia’s total shrimp supply is expected to decline in 2023, the first decline in shrimp production since 2013 Fig. 3: The black tiger shrimp comeback continues across Asia

Fig. 4: The Americas is still undergoing considerable expansion in production, but the shrimp supply growth is slowing down Fig. 5: Ecuador’s shrimp industry, the world’s largest exporter, seems to be slowing down, albeit still with a high growth rate

is expected to contract by up to 15 percent in is estimated to be at least 1.8 MMT, and could
2023, with an expected recovery next year of possibly reach 2 MMT in 2023, led by Ecuador,
possibly over 5 percent. Indonesia will likely see the top global producer during the last few years.
a relatively lower contraction for vannamei of Other major producers in the region include
about 5 percent in 2023 and a projected recovery Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Honduras,
of over 3.5 percent in 2024. All these countries Nicaragua and Guatemala. In general, despite
are top producers of not just vannamei but also production expansions in Ecuador, Brazil,
monodon. Mexico and Venezuela, the growth rate of
Black tiger shrimp continues its strong production in Latin America appears to be
comeback across Asia, led by Vietnam, China, declining.
India and Indonesia. A decisive factor in this For Ecuador, some survey data appears to
revival – considering that monodon was the suggest a possibly slight slowdown in 2023, but
top farmed species for many years and up to the the most recent data indicates that production in
early 2000s – is the relatively recent commercial 2023 will be close to 1.49 MMT with continued
availability of specific pathogen-free (SPF) growth projected for 2024. After a strong 16
vannamei lines and broodstock. percent growth in 2022, growth in 2023 and
2024 is projected to be around 14 percent p.a.
Latin America based on the latest data, with 2024 production
Shrimp production in Latin America, the likely surpassing 1.5 MMT. The industry in
other major global producing region after Asia, Ecuador has benefitted very significantly from
major investments in genetic improvement,
farm technology – particularly automatic
feeders and mechanical aeration – a strong
industry association, the recent development of
a huge export market in China, in addition to
strong industry vertical consolidation among
a dozen major companies. And Ecuador, along
with India, reportedly have the industry’s lowest
production costs.
Other regions
Various shrimp species are farmed in some
form or other in several countries around the
world, and sometimes involving some small
volumes of minor aquaculture species like
Pacific blue shrimp, banana prawn, Indian white
shrimp and Kuruma shrimp; some of these
species support major fisheries.
Notably among producers outside the two
major producing regions are Saudi Arabia and
 16 FEATURES
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
Fig. 6: Market prices are the clear No. 1 concern in 2024
Iran with vannamei productions of 60,000–70,000
MT each in 2023; and Australia and Madagascar
with monodon productions of around 10,500
and 5,000 MT, respectively, in 2023.
Perspectives
Based on survey responses, shrimp market
prices are back to the number 1 concern in 2023;
feed costs, market access, disease prevention
Fig. 7: After a very strong 2022 modest supply decline predicted for 2023 and optimistic for 2024.
and broodstock quality were the second to fifth
top concerns. Market prices were also the top
concern in the 2021 survey, while in the 2022
survey, feed cost was the main issue heading into
2023.
There is significant potential to expand
farmed shrimp production with the substantial
gains achieved in recent years in genetic
improvement, feeds and feeding and production
technologies. However, as the global economy
continues recovering from the pandemic
impacts, shrimp markets must be able to absorb
more production while equitably benefiting
every component of the value chain.
Darryl Jory, Ph.D.
Editor Emeritus
darryl.jory@globalseafood.org

INSIGHTS FROM VENEZUELA’S TRAILBLAZING
TOP SHRIMP PRODUCER
Although Venezuela has the unfortunate
distinction of being one of the hardest
countries in the world to do business
in, Grupo Lamar is on course to reach
100,000 tonnes of shrimp production next
year, offering a ray of economic hope for
the struggling nation.
“We really believe that there’s a
huge growth opportunity – it’s
hard to grow double digits in a
very established economy. But
in a decimated economy there’s
opportunity, there’s spaces to
fill and there’s things to do.”
José Rincón, commercial
director at Grupo Lamar.
FEATURES 17
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
This was the key message delivered by
José Rincón, commercial director at Grupo
Lamar, who delivered a rousing presentation
on the development of the company – and
the challenges they face – at the recent
Global Shrimp Forum in Utrecht. As Rincón
explained, the family-run company started
out as a processor of wild shrimp, before
diversifying into farming vannamei in the
1990s. While growth in the business was
initially slow, since 2018 its production has
grown at an impressive rate, rocketing from
10,000 tonnes a year then, to around 60,000
tonnes of vannamei shrimp this year – the
Rincón presenting at the Global Shrimp Forum 2023 in Utrecht. As Rincón explained in
equivalent of 60-70 percent of the country’s his presentation, Grupo Lamar has the capacity, the farms and the infrastructure to make
total production. And they have no intention 100,000 tonnes of vannamei shrimp a year by 2024  © Pierre Banoori
to rest on their laurels. “We’re really, really
working hard to make 100,000 tonnes a reality produce 18,400 tonnes of feed monthly; five
by 2024,” Rincón explained. hatcheries and four processing plants. And the
“We have the capacity, we have the farms, vertical integration helps to ensure they have
we have the infrastructure. Now we just have to 100 percent traceability of their products.
get to work and make that a reality,” he added.
According to Rincón, this meteoric growth Farming practices
has largely been achieved through expanding Rincón explained that the farming model
their farming area. “We grabbed existing farms that the company was following was based
that were not producing as well. We brought on low density production, with an average
them into the fold and we’re also building stocking density of around 13 shrimp per
new farms,” he explained. He added that, like square metre and an average harvest weight of
most of the shrimp sector, they had also been 17 grams.
working hard on improving the quality of their Thanks to a steady water temperature of 30°C,
genetics. The company now has 13,000 hectares the company is able to complete an impressive
of farms; three feed mills with the capacity to five production cycles a year – compared with
 18 FEATURES
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

Production has grown from 10,000 tonnes of vannamei shrimp a year in 2018 to around 60,000 tonnes this year. This is the equivalent of 60-70 percent of the country’s total production, but Grupo Lamar have a bigger production target, hoping to make 100,000 tonnes
a reality by 2024  © Grupo Lamar

an average of three cycles in Ecuador. He said
that the average survival rate was currently 60
percent, while the FCR was now 1.5, but that
both these figures were improving every year.
Thanks to a steady water temperature of 30 °C,
the company is able to complete an impressive
five production cycles a year – compared with
an average of three cycles in Ecuador.
Challenges
Despite the company’s impressive growth
and solid farming performance, Rincón
explained that there are still plenty of challenges
to overcome.“The biggest challenge for our
industry and every industry in Venezuela is the
lack of credit market. The whole credit market
is about $800 million – that’s $800 million for
a population of about 27 million people: it
doesn’t get you very far,” he reflected.
“When you hear some of the amounts that
get loaned out for aquaculture operations in
different countries they get pretty close to that
amount. This is for a whole country, for a whole
population,” he emphasised.
Other challenges flagged up by Rincón
included the country’s extreme political
and economic volatility which has occurred
since 1998 and the logistical complications of
operating in a country with such low import underutilised for the past three decades or
and export levels. “The World Bank publishes more and that’s how we can do lower density
a list of ease of doing business and Venezuela farming. We really believe that there’s a huge
comes third to last. I can tell you we live it growth opportunity – it’s hard to grow double
every day. It’s manageable, but it’s our reality,” digits in a very established economy. But in
Rincón reflected. He also pointed out that – a decimated economy there’s opportunity,
given the small scale of Venezuela’s shrimp there’s spaces to fill and there’s things to do.
sector compared to countries such as Ecuador Other advantages noted by Rincón include the
and India – there’s not the same level of support comparatively well-educated workforce, and
to fall back on. “If tomorrow we had a deficit the decent infrastructure network. What has
in the feed, we would have to buy it out of the happened in the last 25-30 years in Venezuela is
country and I don’t even know if we can. That’s the decimation of the GDP and the decimation
driven us to be completely independent and it’s of the economic outputs. This obviously is not
the main reason that we’re vertically integrated the desired outcome, but it creates economic
and have our own hatcheries, our own feed opportunities and what once was [a prosperous
mills and our own processing plants, because country] can be again. He also reiterated
there’s nowhere to turn – nobody else is going the advantages of the stable, high water
to do it for you,” he explained. temperature.
It helps with growth, it helps with low
Opportunities stress and we have that in Lake Maracaibo [the
Despite the issues, however, Rincón was also brackish water body in northeast Venezuela
keen to emphasise the positives of living – and where most of their farms are located], which
farming – in the country where he lives with might be one of the highest, most stable water
his family. These include the comparatively temperatures in the world. Rincón also noted
easy access to the North American and that there are opportunities to increase stocking
European markets and – more importantly – densities, and harvest volumes, on many of the
the availability, and low price, of land. Land farms run by Grupo Lamar. We’re doing 13
is readily available in Venezuela and has been animals per square metre and most of these
 FEATURES 19
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

farms are still not technified. We have a lot of

farms with automatic feeders and low volume
aeration, but there’s opportunity to further
increase that. We have built in capacity that I
believe we can take further advantage of.
The final opportunity he listed was the
possibility of growing the domestic demand for
shrimp, stating that he could envisage shrimp
and chicken reaching price parity in 5-10 years.
In Venezuela it’s not an everyday protein, it’s
not an everyday meal – people are eating 30
times, maybe 100 times, more chicken than
shrimp. But we think we can change that – it’s
getting every day more efficient, it’s a very new
industry and we’re working on a goal to get
consumption up from 200 g [per year] to 3.5
kilos. And I think it can be replicated in a lot of
countries. I know Ecuador are doing their thing
to get consumption up, I know India has to do
it, and I think it’s something we can do fairly Grupo Lamar currently has 13,000 hectares of farms in Venezuela and employs around 10,000 people. The company’s farming model is based on low density production, with an
average stocking density of around 13 shrimp per square metre and an average harvest weight of 17 grams  © Grupo Lamar
easily in our little corner of the world.
Remarkably, given their proximity to North
America, Rincón explained that 80 percent next couple of years and we need somewhere As he pointed out, the company currently
of the country’s shrimp sales were going to to go with that shrimp. For us those are the big employs around 10,000 people.
Europe. “Our main market segments in Europe growth opportunities in the next 5-10 years. “We try to make this an industry that can
are the cooking lines – they like the colour, they Markets where we’re not very present and we’re grow with the people and help them have a
like the size, they like the constant supply. They not very felt, but we think we can do a better future inside the country. Venezuela has lost
like that you can close business for a whole year job penetrating,” Rincón added. maybe 5 million people out of 27 [million] in
– they’re not dealing with traders, they’re not the last 10 years to neighbouring countries, to
dealing with spot sale, contract pricing that On a mission the US, to Europe. Slowly but surely we’re trying
we can stand behind really works well with the Other elements of Rincón’s presentation to get that back and I think we can. It’s a very
European consumers. The means we’re only included his firm belief in the value of productive country with a lot of opportunities,”
doing 12 percent to China, 5 percent to the US certification by the likes of ASC, and the Rincón observed.
– these are some of the biggest markets in the company’s mission to generate jobs in a country ROB FLETCHER
world and we’re really looking to grow in the with extremely high levels of unemployment. (The Fish site)
 20 FEATURES
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

GLOBAL SHRIMP FORUM 2023

Ecuador set to hit 1.5 million tonnes

of shrimp exports
Ecuador’s meteoric growth in shrimp production shows no sign of slowing down - despite the decline in global shrimp prices - according to one of the sector’s
leading analysts.

Export statistics panel at the Global Shrimp Forum 2023

(L to R) Moderator Travis Larkin, owner and CEO of Seafood Exchange; Sree Atluri, director of Devi Seafoods; Gabriel Luna, owner of Glunashrimp; Liem Nguyen, representing Minh Phu; Aris Utama, director of Bumi Menara Internusa  ©
Pierre Banoori Photography

Speaking at the Global Shrimp Forum
earlier this month, Gabriel Luna noted that his
homeland was on track to export 900,000 tonnes
of shrimp to China alone and likely to export
“close to 1.5 million tonnes” in total for the
year, following a 30 percent increase in exports
compared to 2022 in H1, and an overall increase
of 15 percent expected for the full year.
At a time when most shrimp farmers, in
particular those in Asia, are making a loss, Luna
– who runs Glunashrimp, a company that offers
shrimp market advisory services – said that “a
large percentage” of Ecuador’s farmers were
efficient enough to still be able to make a profit.
Ecuador’s shrimp production has increased 22 continue. He pointed out that while the national
times since the turn of the century and, according average was to harvest two to three tonnes of
to Luna, this pattern is likely to continue. shrimp per hectare per year, the more intensive
According to Luna, despite the terrible farms were able to harvest six tonnes per hectare
market “at these price levels we have certain every three months – in other words 24 tonnes
farmers who are able to make good profits”. per hectare per year. As more farms adopt such
And he argued that, while a degree of industry strategies the continued growth of the country’s
consolidation was likely, many farmers would be shrimp sector is only going to continue, he
able to ride out the storm: noting that they could observed.
skip a crop until the price goes above their cost According to Luna five of the country’s
of production threshold. biggest companies were stocking as high as 35
Ecuador’s shrimp production has increased shrimp per m2. While he conceded that these five
22 times since the turn of the century and, needed to partial harvest to prevent exceeding
according to Luna, this pattern is likely to the ponds’ carrying capacities he noted that the

Speaking at the Global Shrimp Forum
earlier this month, Gabriel Luna noted that his
homeland was on track to export 900,000 tonnes
of shrimp to China alone and likely to export
“close to 1.5 million tonnes” in total for the
year, following a 30 percent increase in exports
compared to 2022 in H1, and an overall increase
of 15 percent expected for the full year.
At a time when most shrimp farmers, in
particular those in Asia, are making a loss, Luna
– who runs Glunashrimp, a company that offers
shrimp market advisory services – said that “a
large percentage” of Ecuador’s farmers were
efficient enough to still be able to make a profit.
Ecuador’s shrimp production has increased 22
times since the turn of the century and, according
to Luna, this pattern is likely to continue.
According to Luna, despite the terrible
market “at these price levels we have certain
farmers who are able to make good profits”.
And he argued that, while a degree of industry
consolidation was likely, many farmers would be
able to ride out the storm: noting that they could
skip a crop until the price goes above their cost
of production threshold.
Ecuador’s shrimp production has increased 22
times since the turn of the century and, according
to Luna, this pattern is likely to continue. He
pointed out that while the national average was
to harvest two to three tonnes of shrimp per
hectare per year, the more intensive farms were
able to harvest six tonnes per hectare every three
months – in other words 24 tonnes per hectare
per year. As more farms adopt such strategies the
continued growth of the country’s shrimp sector
is only going to continue, he observed.
According to Luna five of the country’s
biggest companies were stocking as high as 35
shrimp per m2. While he conceded that these five
needed to partial harvest to prevent exceeding
the ponds’ carrying capacities he noted that the
process of “technification” – ie the installation
of automatic feeders and paddlewheels into
many farms – mean that there’s potential for the
farmers to increase the national average stocking
density to 20-25 shrimp per m2.
Ecuador vs the rest of the world
Ecuador has essentially replaced India as the
shrimp export powerhouse – the latter having
grown by an impressive CAGR of 19 percent
between 2012 to 2019. Since that peak, however,
issues with disease have caused a significant
decline in the subcontinent. Although its export
levels in the first six months of this year were only
1 percent below H1 2022, the 30 percent drop
in broodstock imports in that same timeframe
is likely to translate into a dramatic decline of
production in H2, with experts predicting the
country to export in the region of 600,000 tonnes
of shrimp in total this year.
Willem van der Pijl presenting shrimp export data at the Global Shrimp Summit 2023 
As Sree Atluri of Devi Seafoods explained,
Indian farmers are reducing stocking densities
having been hit by poor prices. He predicted a
decline in production of at least 15 percent in the
last two quarters of the year. Devi explained that
stocking densities have fallen from 35-45 shrimp
per m2 to 15-25 per m2. He added that farmers
in India have been cutting down power and feed
costs, trying to increase size of their shrimp or
change to monodon.
Although there was a small uptick in pricing
in August, which is motivating farmers to
increase stocking densities, Atluri expects this
to be unable to reverse the decline. On a more
positive note, he pointed out that there has been
a marked increase in monodon production, with
Asian markets absorbing this uptick and overall
production of the species is expected to double
compared to 2022.
Vietnam and Indonesia
Meanwhile, session chair Willem van der
Pijl explained that – judging by imports from
Vietnam’s main markets – the country’s shrimp
exports fell by 31 percent in Q1 and 39 percent in
Q2. According to van der Pijl, an overall decrease
of 25 percent is expected for 2023, which would
equate to total shrimp exports of 284,000 tonnes.
Liem Nguyen, from Minh Phu, backed up
van der Pijl’s forecast, noting that the company
– the country’s largest seafood firm – had been
processing 25 percent fewer shrimp than last
year. However he added that they are anticipating
an increase of demand from restaurants and an
increase in value-added shrimp.
Van der Pijl then moved on to Indonesia,
using data sourced from BKIAM. This pointed
to a 19 percent reduction in exports in H1,
FEATURES 21
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
©
Pierre Banoori Photography
and a 13 percent reduction expected overall, to
202,000 tonnes. Prices were down, due to the
country’s overreliance on the US market. Aris
Utama, from Bumi Menara Internusa, backed
up the data: “The decline is real and we feel it,”
he lamented.
As Utama pointed out, the country’s focus
on intensive farming models generates high
production costs, which have been exacerbated
by disease issues. When the $3.50 per kg cost
of production is exceeded then big farmers will
hold off on their stocking regimes, he observed.
While Utama thinks that “we’ve hit that
floor already” in terms of prices, he expects that
a bigger crop in Q4 is still highly possible. He
also added that it was still possible for farmers
to have profit margins as high as 20-30 percent
at a $3.50 kg production cost, as they typically
sell for $4.50 per kg to processors. Early
harvesting was another strategy he pointed to
as having potential, noting that farmers can
still make money from shrimp as long as they
reached 10 g prior to harvest. Farmers are still
making money from shrimp compared to other
businesses they can invest in, as long as they are
efficient, he argued.
While Ecuador’s increase in production is
expected to balance out overall global shrimp
production for the year, counteracting imports
from Asia. However, in the long-term, those
present in the panel discussion were all in
agreement that it is in all shrimp producers’
interest to grow the global market. In the words
of Travis Larkin, CEO and owner of Seafood
Exchange: “We need greater demand throughout
the world”.
ROB FLETCHER
 22 FEATURES
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
Effective aquaculture management starts
with the gut
T
he gut serves many functions that help
ensure optimal animal performance,
health and immunity. A healthy digestive
system is possibly the most vital function of the
gut, as the digestive tract facilitates the important
process of nutrient breakdown and absorption.
Interactions between microorganisms from the
environment and those within the gut of the
animal can potentially lead to an imbalance in
the fish gut microbiome — which, in turn, can
negatively impact the normal functioning of the
digestive system of the fish.
In addition to facilitating digestion, the gut
also serves as a first line of defense against harmful
disease. Often, farmed fish tend to be at greater
risk for disease than terrestrial species due to
the aqueous nature of their habitat, where they
are subjected to a wider range of environmental
conditions and microorganisms that offer their
own unique challenges. Prioritizing aquaculture
management practices that focus on fostering a
healthy gut will help ensure the production of
fish that are robust and high-performing.
Barrier protection and gut wall integrity
The mucosal layer
One of the most common skin conditions
amongst humans is eczema or dermatitis. While
this issue can be genetic, it is also often triggered
when the moisture barrier of a person’s skin is
damaged or disrupted due to environmental or
dietary factors. Once damaged, the moisture
barrier can be very difficult to repair, and as a
result, the affected person will experience dryness,
itching, redness, swelling, pain and discomfort.
Now, think of fish. The aquatic equivalent of
a human’s moisture barrier is the fish’s mucosal
coating, which is a layer of mucus covering their
skin, gills and guts. This layer plays a primary role
in the innate immune response that helps protect
animals from disease. If the mucosal layer is not
kept intact, opportunistic pathogens can gain access
to the animal and disease outbreaks can occur. Poor
nutrition, low-quality water and exposure to stress
can all lead to the breakdown of the mucosal layer.
Microbial diversity
As previously stated, upsetting the balance
of a fish’s microbiome can result in enteritis,
poor digestion, and reduced feed intake and
conversion. An increased amount and diversity
of good bacteria in the gut can enhance the
innate immunity of the fish, helping improve
performance and supporting an efficient digestive
system. Increasing microbial diversity is also well-
documented as being associated with an increased
resistance to pathogen colonization. Research has
shown that Alltech’s range of gut health solutions
have the ability to influence microbial diversity
and promote bacteria phylum that help balance
intestinal pH, improve nutrient digestibility and
aid in carbohydrate and protein fermentation.
The decrease in the dominance of one bacterial
group and restoration of the microbial balance is
key for optimal aquatic gut health.
Ways to support a healthy gut
Applying targeted nutrition
In light of modern realities like supply-chain
disruptions, the unavailability of raw materials
and increasing consumer demand for sustainable
practices, fish farmers are facing more challenges
than ever before when it comes to feeding and
nutrition. In the gut, anti-nutritional factors
associated with some plant-based raw materials
can disrupt the natural microbiome, leading
to inflammation and enteritis and potentially
resulting in cell death at the microvilli level.
This turn of events disrupts mucosal expression,
thereby damaging the integrity of the gut. The
recent decrease in the use of marine ingredients
and increase in the prevalence of and preference
for plant-based materials demands a deeper
understanding of the nutrient requirements of
commercially cultured fish. Offering specialized
nutrition can serve as an additional defensive
strategy against disease and can help improve
overall gut health.
Alltech’s gut health program is built on
glycomic research and focuses on yeast-based
structures and their prebiotic interactions. These
products are proven to be an essential tool in the
maintenance of the structural integrity of the gut
and in promoting gut health and immunological
functions. Aquate® is a gut health solution from
Alltech for aquatic species that combines two
of their other proven products: Actigen® and
Bio-Mos®. In aquaculture, the mode of action
and benefits provided by these solutions have
been extensively documented via both scientific
research and on-farm applications. Including
Aquate technologies in the diet of fish can lead
to significant improvements in the gut structure,
resulting in an increased growth rate and FCR
and reduced mortality rates.
 FEATURES 23
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

Farmed fish tend to be at greater risk for disease than terrestrial species due to the aqueous nature of their habitat

Minimizing environmental stressors Dissolved oxygen: Fish take in dissolved Keeping the balance
Acute and chronic stress brought on by oxygen from the water through their gills. Ensuring optimal health in aquaculture
environmental factors usually manifests as Dissolved oxygen is vital for the health, welfare production starts from within; however, we must
marked structural changes in the gut. Stress and performance of aquatic animals. As a rule, the remember that what is happening on the inside
impacts tissues that are in direct contact with oxygen saturation of the water should be kept as is often a reflection of what is going on outside,
their environment and requires a cascade of high as possible within a culture facility. If it falls and vice versa. Therefore, the key to a healthy
defense responses from the animal, which could below 80%, saturation stress conditions can set in. gut is maintaining balance. This means fostering
lead to depletion of micro-nutrient reserves and Acidity and alkalinity (pH): CO2 from fish a healthy fish microbiome by maintaining gut
ultimately cause tissue damage. This turn of excretion in the culture system leads to the integrity and structure. It also means keeping
events affects the integrity of the skin, gills and formation of a weak acid and can impact the pH a balance between the animal’s environment
guts of the fish, and these issues are especially level of the water. The acceptable pH range for and nutrition and the challenges associated
relevant for fish farmed in marine settings, most species is normally between 6.5 and 7.5, with the pathogens that may be present in their
as these species must ingest large volumes of although some species do well at pH levels as environment.
the surrounding water to maintain an osmotic low as 5.5. If you want to learn more about the
balance with their environment. Therefore, Gas bubble trauma: This occurs when the importance of gut health in aquatic species, you
ensuring optimal water quality is imperative to blood of the fish becomes supersaturated with may be interested in reading “Inside/Out: The
maintaining a healthy fish gut. gas (i.e., nitrogen). This issue is often correlated Essential Guide to the Skin, Gills and Guts of
There are many factors to consider when with the system design. As such, it is important Fish,” written by John Sweetman, international
attempting to optimize water quality. For to measure the total gas pressure (TGP) of the project manager for aquaculture at Alltech,
instance, fish cannot regulate their own body water. If the value is too high, degassing the and Gijs Rutjes, technical support manager at
temperature, and different species each have an water is essential. Alltech Coppens. “Inside/Out” is an educational
optimal temperature range in which they are Other things to monitor and test for when tool for fish farmers, feed millers and anyone
most comfortable. As such, water temperature assessing water conditions include nitrite interested in aquaculture. The book is designed
plays a key role in important processes like feed and nitrate, CO2 and ammonia (NH3) levels, to offer user-friendly insights into how these
intake, digestion, growth, and responses to stress particularly in recirculation aquaculture systems tissues work, allowing producers to make
and infection. Other factors that impact water (RAS). The presence of these elements in sub- informed decisions that will encourage optimal
quality and should be continuously monitored optimal amounts can create conditions that are performance in their fish.
include: detrimental to the health of fish stocks. ALLTECH COPPENS
24 INNOVATION
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
 INNOVATION 25
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
 26 INNOVATION
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
HOW TO COMBINE SUSTAINABILITY AND
ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY?
F
ounded for the agricultural world, the Avril
group acts to feed the best of nature to
people. Through our Raison d’être, we are
working for agriculture including Aquaculture,
which we are making more efficient and
respectful of the planet today, and which we
want to be even more audacious tomorrow.
In this way, at miXscience and its Vietnamese
subsidiary miXscience Asia, health, safety and
sustainability are at the center of our concerns.
We are looking to the future with a particular
focus on animal welfare and the improvement
of the farming environment. Aware of the daily
challenges faced by farmers and the diversity of
species and aquaculture farming systems around
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Our solutions aim to reduce the use
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MiXscience Aqua’s global solution is built
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pathogens, environment and animals.
To act on the environment and more specifically
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dedicated to aquaculture: the Noliflore Aqua.
Noliflore Aqua is a biocontrol product
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To complete its action on the environment,
MiXscience offers 3 Innovative Feed Solutions to
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 INNOVATION 27
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
 28 THE VIETFISH INTERVIEW
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

The Vietfish Interview

TRUONG THI LE KHANH, “QUEEN OF VIETNAMESE PANGASIUS”,
CHAIRWOMAN OF VINH HOAN CORPORATION (VHC)

This strong woman is associated with nicknames like “Queen of Pangasius” and “Seafood Queen” due to her remarkable achievements in the seafood export
business. She was even recognized by the prestigious Forbes magazine as one of the top 25 most powerful businesswomen in Asia in 2020. We are talking
about Truong Thi Le Khanh, Chairwoman of Vinh Hoan Corporation (VHC)

VFM : At the time of establishing your business, what

motivated you to engage with the seafood industry?

When I started my career in 1996, Vietnam began opening to

regional and global integration. With the pre-existing knowledge
in the seafood industry, along with some experienced colleagues in
production management, export, and raw material procurement, as
well as trusted customers, we proceeded the production and exported
the first seafood cargoes to Japan, Hong Kong, and Australia. Seafood
export industry was a good choice for my career due to favorable
conditions like manpower, material resources, and the market at that
time. I saw an opportunity to start a business with core elements that
would lead to success. Although it was challenging at the beginning,
the production and sales were very convenient, stable, and rapidly
growing. I believe fate led me to choose this industry for my career,
and I’m extremely grateful for that.

VFM : Over the recent years, under your leadership,

Vinh Hoan Group has become a leading company
in pangasius exports. What is the most significant experience
of yours in doing business with foreign enterprises during the
period of integration?
I believe that when we work with both domestic and foreign
partners, trust is the foremost essential factor. Quality management,
contract compliance, commitments, and strict compliance with
the company’s regulations help gain trust from customers, leading
to further opportunities for business development. We live in the
world that is constantly changing and evolving, so businesses must
continuously improve to catch up with market trends and map out
suitable strategies to grasp opportunities when they come.
 THE VIETFISH INTERVIEW 29
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

VFM : In general, what fundamental achievements has

Vietnam’s seafood export industry attained on its
journey of growth and innovation in recent years?

From my point of view, the most significant achievement is the

change in mindset of those involved in the seafood industry regarding
the importance of food safety. The seafood industry was one of the
earliest industries in Vietnam to integrate with the global market.
Local businesses have been continuously trained and improved, and
they have developed production conditions and seafood farming so
as to be granted production and food safety certificates which are
equivalent to those in Western countries. The competence of leaders
and managers has been raised in accordance with market trends.

VFM : How do you evaluate the business potential of

seafood exports in Vietnam today?

Seafood has been a significant contributor to Vietnam’s GDP and

has provided employment for hundreds of thousands of workers. It
has become one of Vietnam’s key export industries. There are still
many opportunities for the seafood industry to develop in the future.
I believe that value-added processed products offer significant
potential for businesses to expand their export market share.

VFM : What are the most significant challenges for

Vietnamese businesses when working with foreign
partners in the seafood sector?
I think non-tariff barriers imposed by other countries to
protect their markets are the main challenges that Vietnamese
seafood exporters have been facing and are still relatively passive
in addressing. Moreover, we have not built a brand that is strong
enough to achieve maximum value, nor have we truly differentiated
ourselves to gain a competitive advantage in foreign markets.
Addressing these issues will undoubtedly create significant
advantages for Vietnamese businesses.
Hoan’s employees had to accept the separation from their families
to sustain production. Thanks to the unanimous efforts of all the
employees, Vinh Hoan was able to fulfill customers’ orders. No
one but the employees themselves helped Vinh Hoan successfully
complete the year 2021 despite numerous challenges. I am very
proud and grateful for them. At the beginning of 2022, we held a
ground breaking of the Thanh Ngoc vegetable processing plant. I
hope that in the future, Vinh Hoan will expand into the food sector,
not only supplying seafood but also food products in general.
VFM : One of Vinh Hoan’s new directions is to implement
a strategy for profit growth through a value chain
and by producing high-collagen and gelatin-rich products from

VFM : No matter how favorable your career has been,

difficulties and failures are envitable. For you,
what was the most challenging moment in your leadership role
fish skin to serve the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
What are your expectations for this new direction?

in Vinh Hoan?
Vinh Hoan’s target market is overseas, so new policies, tariffs,
or technical barriers, that importing countries suddenly introduce
to protect their markets, are unforeseeable challenges to us. To
mitigate these risks, Vinh Hoan has been always diversifying
markets to avoid passivity and dependence on a single market.
Maximizing the value chain and developing a circular economy
have been Vinh Hoan’s direction of development, and it is an
inevitable trend for large-scale businesses. This is also Vinh Hoan’s
development model in its strategy for development until 2025.
VFM : Your ambition as the captain of Vinh Hoan is to
become a multinational company that not only
expands its farming area and enhances product quality but also

VFM : During the recent pandemic specifically, how

did your business navigated through the turmoil,
and what preparations did you make so that Vinh Hoan could
embrace to regain its position as a market leader?
First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to all the
employees who persevered through extremely difficult times due
to the pandemic to maintain production and business operations.
In mid-July with the three-on-site operations being imposed, Vinh
sells directly to supermarkets under its own brand in many
countries. What will be the roadmap to turn that goal into a
reality?
Currently, we directly supply products to various supermarket
chains. We have started building the BasaMaster brand for the
domestic market. Expanding this brand to foreign markets is the
next step of Vinh Hoan.
VFM
 30 EXPERT TOPIC
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
EFFORTS OF VIETNAM’S SEAFOOD INDUSTRY TO REMOVE IUU YELLOW CARD
CURRENT SITUATION AND SOLUTION PROPOSALS
 B.A. HO THI GIANG, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam;
 PHD CANDIDATE, MA. NGUYEN DUC PHUC, Lecturer of Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam;
PhD Candidate of Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.
Vietnam strives to remove IUU yellow card in 2023, illustration photo  Photo: Vietnam Investment Review
Summary: Since the Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU)
yellow card was imposed by the European Commission (EC) on October
23, 2017, Vietnam’s fisheries industry has so far gone through six years of
efforts in implementing solutions and taking drastic actions to accelerate the
process of removing the IUU yellow card. It is expected that in October 2023,
the EC’s inspection team will visit Vietnam to conduct the fourth inspection
of Vietnam’s anti-IUU fishing process, considering whether to remove the
IUU yellow card for Vietnamese seafood. Therefore, the article evaluates the
current situation of the Vietnamese seafood industry’s attempts to remove the
yellow card. The authors present predictions based on two possible outcomes:
(1) a promising scenario in which Vietnam is fortunate to remove the yellow
card in 2023; and (2) a limited scenario in which Vietnam is given a red card
after the upcoming 4th examination. Thereby, solutions will be proposed
to remove yellow cards by action groups based on assessments of Vietnam’s
steps to contribute positively to the results after the EC’s fourth inspection,
helping Vietnam achieve the goal of removing the IUU yellow card in 2023.
Keywords: IUU, IUU yellow card, Removing IUU yellow card, Seafood
industry.
Introduction
IUU fishing is a major threat to the sustainable use of fishery resources.
As a result, the EU must launch an anti-IUU program and take action
against nations that exploit, produce, and export seafood that has been
illegally harvested. Warning cards, notably the yellow IUU card, are one
such measure.
Vietnam, an active member of the international market, has given the
growth of a sustainable seafood industry first priority. However, in 2017,
the EU issued an IUU yellow card, warning Vietnam due to its lack of
cooperation and insufficient efforts against IUU fishing. The yellow card
has caused great damage to Vietnam’s seafood exports to the EU, having
a knock-on effect on offshore fishing operations as well as fishing and
processing services. Although the value of Vietnam’s seafood exports to
the EU continues to rise, Vietnam’s place in the overall picture of seafood
exports is increasingly narrowed and blurred. Possibly, there will be a host
of further repercussions, with a more severe impact, if Vietnam does not
promptly remove the yellow card and obtain a red card.
Over the last six years, Vietnamese authorities and the entire fishing
industry have made significant improvements in accordance with EU
recommendations to eliminate the yellow card. The EU is immensely
appreciative of Vietnam’s efforts in combating IUU fishing, although the
yellow card has not yet been lifted and the possibility of receiving a red
card exists. The effort to quickly remove the yellow card is currently the
priority of Vietnam’s seafood industry.
The topic “Efforts of Vietnam’s seafood industry to remove IUU yellow
card: Current situation and solution proposals” is crucial at this time
because it is a sensitive and urgent issue - possibly considered one of the
“golden times” for Vietnam to receive recommendations to soon remove
the EC’s IUU yellow card. This article’s primary goal is to evaluate the
process of Vietnam’s efforts to remove IUU yellow cards and, from there,
make predictions about the prospects in the coming time, especially in
2023. The author makes recommendations to emphasize the importance
of taking measures to solve existing problems of management and
supervision set by the IUU yellow card, thereby contributing to the early
removal of the yellow card and Vietnam’s sustainable fisheries.
Results and Discussion
3.1. The status of Vietnam’s efforts to remove IUU yellow card
EU recommendations for Vietnamese fisheries
Since 2012, the EC’s Directorate-General for Marine and Fisheries
Affairs (DG-MARE) has been working with the Directorate of Fisheries
of Vietnam to examine and make recommendations for the country to
control IUU fishing. After the annual inspection in May 2017, DG-MARE
recommended that Vietnam should implement five recommendations
by the end of September 2017, otherwise, Vietnam will face the risk of
receiving the Yellow Card.1 On October 23, 2017, the EC made a decision to
impose a yellow card on Vietnamese seafood because Vietnam did not fully
implement necessary measures to prevent IUU, and provided nine proposals
for Vietnam to remove the yellow card at the same time. To check the results
of the implementation of the recommendations, the EC organized two field
visits in Vietnam in May 2018 and November 2019. After the inspection
period, the EC’s inspection team continued to make four recommendations
for Vietnam’s fisheries industry. From 2020 to 2021, due to the Covid-19
pandemic, the EC cannot go to Vietnam for a physical inspection; instead,
MARD regularly reports to the EC the results of the implementation of four
recommendations. In October 2022, EC held the third re-inspection. After
this inspection, the EC side still maintains four recommendations, similar
 EXPERT TOPIC 31
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

Table 1: EU recommendations for Vietnamese fisheries between 2017-2022

Annual inspection: May 1st, 2nd, and 3rd inspections: May 2018,
Time Yellow card decision: October 2017
2017 November 2019, and October 2022
(1) Revise the legal framework to ensure compliance with
international and regional rules applicable to the conservation
and management of fishery resources;
(1) Legal and enforcement (2) Ensure effective implementation and enforcement of national
framework; legislation;
(2) Fleet management and (3) Strengthen the effective implementation of international rules
operating capacity; and regulatory measures through a fully enforced and monitored
(3) Inspection, examination sanction regime;
and supervision activities; (4) Overcome identified deficiencies in the inspection, control (1) Legal framework;
(4) System of catch and supervision of fishing vessels that meet international and (2) Monitor, inspect and control fishing vessel
certification and traceability; regional regulations and EC requirements for catch certification; activities, fleet management;
Proposals
(5) Issues related to illegal (5) Bolster management and enhance the system for issuing (3) Certification of production and traceability
fishing vessels, including mining permits and registering miners; of aquatic products from capture;
controlling and preventing (6) Policy must strike a balance between fishing capacity and (4) Law enforcement.
foreign ships from illegally fishing vessel growth;
fishing in Vietnamese waters (7) In compliance with international law, improve the traceability
and Vietnamese ships from of fishery goods and take all necessary measures to stop the trade
illegally fishing in the waters and import of illegally caught fisheries products into Vietnam;
of other countries. (8) Increase interstate cooperation in conformity with
international commitments;
(9) Verify that all data collection and reporting requirements to
regional fisheries management organizations are being met.
Source: Authors’ synthesis

to the first two actual inspections in May 2018 and November 2019. It is
expected that the EC inspection team will return to Vietnam for the fourth
time in October 2023.
This process demonstrates how the EC collaborated with all stakeholders
to ensure strict application of the IUU Regulation No. 1005/2008, dated
September 29, 2008 established by the EC2. Table 1 below provides a
summary of the suggestions made by the EC following the inspections.

Vietnam’s response measures and results of implementation of the

recommendations

Border guards popularise fishing regulations among fishermen and boat owners Photo: VNA

The legal framework and implementation organization

The Fisheries Law 2017 and its guiding documents3 thoroughly specify
the provisions of the fisheries law against IUU fishing. Through the actual
implementation results, some specific results have been achieved, as follows:
- The MARD has: Issued hundreds of directing documents, organized
the implementation of directing documents of the Standing Secretariat of
the Secretariat, the PM, the National Steering Committee, and regulations
of the Fisheries Law, etc.; Organized effective inspection missions in the
locality, etc.
- Ministries: National Defense, Public Security, Foreign Affairs, among
others, have developed plans and organized the implementation of the
directives of the Standing Committee of the Secretariat, the PM, and the
Head of the Steering Committee; etc.
- People’s Committees of 28 coastal provinces and cities directly
(Photo: Báo Nhân dân) under the Central Government: organize the signing of regulations on
coordination to deploy solutions to manage and control the activities
 32 EXPERT TOPIC
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

of fishing vessels between provinces, promptly exchange to prevent and

handle local fishing vessels engaged in IUU fishing, etc.

Inspect and control of fishing vessel activities, fleet management

The MARD has allocated more than 31,000 licenses for fishing permits
in the high seas. Coastal provinces and cities have established quotas for
coastal and inland fishing licences totaling more than 67,000 permits4. The
total number of fishing vessels nationwide with markings in the country
has reached 96.5%5. By the end of 2022, 96.35% of fishing vessels had
cruise monitoring equipment (VMS) installed6.

Shrimp traceability software system  Photo: Bytesoft

A border guard in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang checks the vessel monitoring system on fishing boats Photo: VNA/VNS
Currently, Vietnam has applied information technology (IT) by
digitizing fishing vessel data to the National Fisheries Database System
(VNFishbase) to manage the fleet.7 The management of the fleet is
gradually getting in order, resulting in a steady decrease in the number of
fishing vessels to lessen the intensity of fishing and the effects of fishing on
fisheries resources and ecosystems.
There are still some shortcomings in the management of fishing
vessels8, and the updating of fleet management on the VNFishbase has not
been satisfactory9. The results of the vessel marking are not yet complete.
So far, the total number of ships that have been granted fishing licenses has
only reached 86.7%10. The loss of VMS connection is still frequent11. Many
fishing vessels crossing the sea boundary were detected through VMS, but
few of them received punishment12.
Law enforcement
Preventing and ending the situation of Vietnam’s fishing vessels
violating fishing activities in foreign waters
A fisheries surveillance team of Quang Binh Province works with a
fisherman on IUU regulations while he is catching fish at sea (Photo: VNA)
Preventing and ending the situation of Vietnamese fishing vessels violating
seafood exploitation in Pacific island countries and countries. All relevant
departments have deployed many solutions: maritime law enforcement
forces maintaining more than 30 ships, using unmanned aircraft,... focusing
on the waters bordering Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. Moreover,
making a list of fishing vessels with high risk of violations at sea... Therefore,
the situation of fishing vessels violating the waters of countries in the region,
although it has decreased compared to before, is not stable.19 Localities with
violations have significantly decreased compared to before.20

Product certification and traceability of aquatic products

The control of aquatic products derived from fishing from foreign
ships docked in Vietnam’s ports13 has been strengthened in accordance
with Vietnamese law’s regulations and essentially meets the provisions
of the PSMA; basically control the import, temporary import, re-export,
temporary export, re-import, border-gate transfer and transit through the
Vietnamese territory, aquatic products originating from illegal fishing.
Traceability of seafood caught in Vietnam’s waters is controlled in a
chain, ensuring consistency with the records of ship control in and out
of ports, certification at 53 designated fishing ports and at the Fisheries
Sub-Department; Regularly inspecting seafood processing and exporting A fisheries surveillance team of Quang Binh Province works with a fisherman on IUU regulations while he is catching fish at sea
establishments and enterprises, especially where consignments are Photo: VNA
warned by the EC14. In 2021, the EU issued 2,715 exploitation certificates
with a volume of nearly 32,000 tons. Since the beginning of 2022, more Administrative penalties for violations of IUU fishing
than 1,500 papers have been issued with a volume of over 21,000 tons15. Sanctioning IUU fishing acts has had initial results. In 2020, localities
However, the work of tracing the origin of fishery products in many have sanctioned 2,468 cases with a total fine of 62 billion VND.21 From the
localities is still limited16; Regarding the control of imported seafood beginning of 2021 up to now, localities have fined 1,527 cases with a total
products, only focusing on doing good quarantine work17, the inspection18 fine of 13,7 billion VND22.
to ensure the control of aquatic products imported into Vietnam as legal Some provinces have initially sanctioned ships violating foreign waters.
products has not yet complied with the requirements. However, the administrative sanction for the violations on IUU fishing are

Hai Ha district authorities arrested 3 fishing vessels violating IUU fishing
not really serious, especially penalties for violations in foreign waters with
the rate of cases handled is still very low compared to reality.
General assessment
Advantages
The work to overcome the Yellow Card for Vietnam’s exploited seafood
products, over the past 6 years, have received the close direction of the
Government; the cooperation of ministries, branches, agencies, central
and local units, the seafood business community and a part of the people.
This is a favorable condition for continuing to raise awareness and mobilize
resources to more effectively implement the EC’s recommendations with
the immediate goal of removing the Yellow Card in 2023 and the long-
term goal is to build responsible and modern fisheries in the new situation.
After more than 5 years, a number of EC recommendations have
been implemented effectively with (1) The basic legal framework on
combating IUU fishing has been completed, especially the Fisheries
Law 2017; 2) Awareness of fisheries management agencies from central
to local levels, business community and fishermen has been improved;
(3) The situation of fishing vessels and fishermen violating the waters of
Pacific island countries and countries has ended; (4) The inspection and
control of fishing vessels operating at sea has made great progress, and (5)
Participation in international agreements and conventions on fisheries has
made great efforts.
Disadvantages
- The legal framework: The Decree detailing a number of articles
and measures to implement the Law on Fisheries and the Decree on
sanctioning administrative violations in the fisheries sector has not yet
met the schedule committed to the EC.
- Violations of illegal fishing in foreign waters: The situation of fishing
vessels and fishermen violating illegal fishing in foreign waters has not
been thoroughly controlled. The most worrying thing that still exists is
the large number of Vietnamese fishing vessels that have been seized in
the waters of neighboring countries.23 This is the key issue that Vietnam
must solve.
- Monitoring and inspection of fishing vessel activities, fleet management:
The management of IUU vessels is not consistent with the provincial data,
the high-risk list is not connected. The ship is on the list of ships that
have lost signal for many days without taking any action but still being
granted a license to operate. The issuance of the fishing license has not
been completed.24 In particular, the installation speed of VMS in localities
is uneven. Although Vietnam has installed equipment for 96.35% of the
fleet, the number of ships that have not been actively implemented is still
a lot, and the cases of connection loss are still very large.
- Declaration activities to determine the origin of caught seafood, there
are still problems such as declaration forms are not consistent with EU
EXPERT TOPIC 33
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
regulations, actual monitoring and declaration is still a formality in some
places, and has not yet met the EC’s requirements for chain control of the
legality of products exported to the EU market.
- Law enforcement and sanctioning of IUU fishing acts are not thorough
and synchronous. In the handling of fishing vessels with violations, many
provinces only make minutes, not administratively handle them, leading to
uneven and ineffective law enforcement. With the inconsistent handling of
the provinces, the fishing vessels that have been severely punished in these
provinces will move to the provinces with lighter sanctions to operate. Up
to now, although ships violating foreign waters are still high, the fines for
this group of violating vessels are still low.25
3.2. Prospects of removing IUU yellow card of Vietnam’s seafood export
The article will make forecasts about two scenarios, (1) a promising
Photo: Thanh Truong (CTV) scenario in which Vietnam is fortunate to remove the yellow card in 2023,
and (2) a limited scenario in which Vietnam is given a red card after the
upcoming 4th examination.
Promising scenario
Estimated time for Vietnam to be lifted IUU yellow card
Since the EC issued a yellow card for Vietnam’s caught seafood, it has
taken nearly 6 years for Vietnam to remove it. In October 2023, the EC’s
inspection team will go to Vietnam for the fourth time. Thus, there are
only 130 days left from May 21 2023, for Vietnam to take action to end the
“yellow card” IUU. Vietnam anticipates having the yellow card removed at
the fourth EC inspection.
If Vietnam soon removes the yellow card, takes advantage of the tariff
preferences and institutional changes from the EVFTA, the opportunity to
recover and increase seafood exports to the EU market to $1.2-1.4 billion
in the next few years is entirely achievable26. If this occurs, Vietnam will
have greater market opportunities and be in a better position to compete
with other exporting and manufacturing nations. Under such a scenario,
Vietnam’s seafood exports will definitely achieve the target of $16-18
billion by 203027.
Outlook on Vietnam’s seafood exports to the EU by 2025
By 2025, Vietnam has set an export target, and seafood will continue
to be Vietnam’s key export product, making an important contribution
to the sustainable development of the rural economy. In terms of export
markets, maintaining the traditional market, especially the 3 main export
markets (EU - Japan - US) with a proportion of over 60% of the total
seafood export value.
Regarding the export target to the EU, Vietnam’s seafood industry
continues to maintain export turnover, accounting for 21% of the total
value of seafood export turnover. Main export products: Shrimp, Pangasius
and Tuna account for about 45%, 25% and 15%, respectively. Achieved
export turnover of $3.1 billion.
In the past 6 years, Vietnam’s seafood exports have declined, especially
due to the big barriers of the EU’s yellow card. Despite the decline,
Vietnam’s seafood exports are still in a growth trend. VASEP estimates
that in the period 2021-2025, seafood exports will grow at an average of
7%/year and reach $12 billion by 2025. In which, shrimp, pangasius and
seafood reached $5.5 billion, $2.3 billion and $4.2 billion, respectively. The
volume of seafood exported by 2025 will be equivalent to about 6 million
tons. Of which, 4.7-4.8 million tons are produced domestically, the source
of raw materials imported from other countries for export production and
processing is estimated at 1.2-1.3 million tons (about 2,4-2.6 billion USD).
The basis for VASEP to believe that seafood exports will continue to
grow in the coming years is the Covid-19 pandemic, which reduces the
demand for seafood in the immediate period, but shapes the trend of
buying - selling online and boosting retail sales. The epidemic has formed
 34 EXPERT TOPIC
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

the habit of cooking at home, so the demand of the retail segment has
increased, along with an increase in demand for convenient, instant, and
ready-to-eat products. From 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic also increases
the demand for products with moderate prices, suitable for income levels
(decreases): fish, small shrimp, surimi, fish cakes, some marine fish
species, etc.
It is very remarkable that many of Vietnam’s key export seafood
products are expected to remain among the most consumed aquatic species
globally, such as shrimp, pangasius, tuna, crab, bivalve molluscs, etc. In
particular, shrimp demand will remain stable because it is the choice of the
EU’s consumers. Demand for white fish (including pangasius) continues
to increase. Due to the post-pandemic economic situation, the demand
for whitefish and some small pelagic fish species in the world market is
expected to increase more positively than other species.

Limited Scenario Long-term effects

After the next 4th inspection, if Vietnam’s efforts to prevent IUU In terms of medium-term impacts, the entire industry will be impacted
fishing are fully effective, the yellow card can be removed. However, if the red card remains in place for two to three years:
if progress is still insufficient, the EC will determine Vietnam is not - The fishing and seafood processing industries will reduce their
cooperating (receiving “a red card”). Following that ruling, all products capacity by at least 30% compared to the current capacity32. This leads to
with certification and catch certification will be prohibited from being a decrease in export value, employment impact and poverty alleviation.
sold in the EU. - The EU market demands the highest quality standards for imported
This section projects the short- and long-term effects if Vietnam gets a products and offers good prices33, which requires manufacturers
red card. (1) The trade embargo’s complete application to capture fishery to continuously develop their production systems to meet market
items; and (2) The Red Card’s indirect impact on aquaculture products; requirements. However, if Vietnam loses its high-standard market, it also
serve as the foundation for these economic damage estimations. loses its incentive to upgrade its value chain.
Short-term effects - The ban will risk affecting the reputation of Vietnam’s seafood
Regarding the short-term and immediate effects, Vietnam will lose out products in general. Other markets such as the US or Japan may follow the
on sales of its agricultural and fisheries exports to the EU. An estimation of EU IUU Regulation. Although imports into China are growing rapidly,
the size of the loss is shown in the table28. the country’s market is very volatile and unpredictable.
- The Vietnamese government has set a target for seafood exports to
Table 3.1: Estimated loss of Vietnamese seafood exports in case of IUU red card reach $14-16 billion by 203034. To achieve that goal, the whole country
Level of loss (millions of must have an average annual growth rate of seafood exports of 7-9% in
Product Description of the impact
dollars) the next 10 years. With the yellow card scenario not being removed, the
Direct influence: Based on export parity growth rate of 9%/year is definitely not achievable.
2016
Mining products value in 2019
Tuna 140.000 III. Recommendation solutions to remove IUU yellow cards for Vietnam
Squid, octopus 67.000 In order to actively implement the 180-day plan to remove the yellow card
Bivalve molluscs 62.000 from February 13, 2023 to May 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang
Trade ban signed Decision No. 81/QD-TTg promulgating the “Action plan to combat
Crab 14.000
IUU fishing, preparing to work with the 4th EC Inspection Delegation”.35
Other sea fish 90.000
This is a quiet   comprehensive policy and shows the determination of
Surimi 15.000
Vietnam in the process of removing the yellow card. However, from the
Indirect influence: Affected reputation, research perspective of the article, on the basis of studying the current situation,
10% of 2019 export value:
Farmed products increased customs forecasting scenarios, the article will propose recommendations from the
inspection, unable perspective of the State in order to contribute to the process of overcoming
Catfish 24.000
to benefit from the the shortcomings that have become barriers to Vietnam’s yellow card removal
preferential tariffs offered process. At the same time, to ensure good preparation for working with the next
Shrimp 69.000
by the EVFTA 4th EC inspection team, which is expected to be deployed in October 2023.
Total losses from 3.1. Legal solutions
480.000
the EU market Although Vietnam has promulgated the Fisheries Law 2017 and
Source: World Bank Document the guiding documents to combat IUU fishing are almost complete.
However, according to the author’s assessment, the level of administrative
Vietnam exported over $1.3 billion worth of seafood to the EU in total punishments for violations in the Decree36 is relatively modest compared
in 2019, with captured seafood items accounting for about $387 million to other countries in the region as well as the EC’s guidance on anti-IUU
of that amount29. Vietnam will suffer the same consequences as Sri Lanka, measures. To increase the chances of early removal of the IUU yellow card,
where all seafood items were banned from entering the EU market, if the EC Vietnam needs to raise the punishment level in line with EC regulations.
gives Vietnam a red card. Aquaculture products will be affected indirectly. In terms of legal framework reform, Vietnam may benefit from Thailand’s
reputational risks, stringent import authorities’ customs controls, and failure experience37. Thailand has put in place a number of measures, including: (i)
to take advantage of the EVFTA’s preferential tariffs. The total loss to Vietnam’s A comprehensive review of the Resident legal framework in accordance with
seafood exports to the EU due to the red card is about $480 million30 31. International Law of the Sea, including deterrent sanctions schemes; (ii) Full

implementation of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) Port States Measures agreement on foreign-flagged vessels that land
their catches in Thai to supply the processing industry; (iii) Being the first
Asian country that ratified the ILO Forced labor Protocol in June 201838.
3.2. Installation activities of monitoring equipment
In order to serve the upcoming EC’s 4th inspection, Vietnam’s seafood
industry needs to make more efforts to complete 100% of the installation
of cruise monitoring equipment (VMS)39 for fishing boats in the provinces
and localities. It is worth noting, this device has a relatively high price
(about more than $1000/set). This is a big investment for many fishermen.
Therefore, the Government can advance the cost to the fishermen to install
the fishing boats at sea, which the fishermen can then reimburse later.
3.3. Management and supervision of fishing vessels
Vietnam needs to establish a center to monitor the activities of joint
fishing vessels at sea. All fishing vessels that go out to sea to fish where
this center can capture and monitor. If the fishing vessels show signs of
going out of the territory of Vietnam, through communication devices or
smartphones to issue warnings and remind fishing vessels.
It is necessary to quickly review and compile statistics on the entire
number of local fishing vessels, complete 100% of the registration,
marking of fishing vessels, and grant of fishing licenses. Update 100%
of fishing vessel data into the VNFishbase; make a list of fishing vessels
not engaged in fishing and vessels at high risk of violating IUU fishing
and assign specific units and individuals to manage. Regulations on
coordination between localities must be developed to control 100% of
provincial fishing vessels operating in areas outside the province, fishing
vessels of other provinces docked for certification but certified in another
province.
Control 100% of fishing vessels entering and exiting at sea border
posts and stations; fishing vessels entering and leaving the fishing port
to ensure that the VMS equipment operates continuously 24/24 hours
from the time the fishing vessel leaves the port to the time it arrives
at the port; 24/7 surveillance of 100% of fishing vessels operating at
sea through VMS. Expeditiously review the points where fishing vessels
docked and unloaded exploited fishery products, and organized to
supervise 100% of caught fishery output being loaded and unloaded
locally. Ensure 100% of fishing vessels with the largest length of 15
meters or more must dock at designated ports to load and unload
aquatic products. In particular, Vietnam needs to ensure that there is
no market for illegally caught fish.40
3.4. Product certification and traceability activities
According to MARD guidelines, Vietnam’s fisheries sector needs to carry
out certification and traceability of catches, ensuring 100% of records of
export shipments to the EU market and other markets that require traceability
of exploited seafood raw materials. In this case, Vietnam may need at least
some kind of certification to prove the origin of the fish. Vietnam can refer
to the experience of Thailand in this respect, as this country implemented a
comprehensive traceability system covering the whole supply chain and all
means of transportation in accordance with international norms41.
3.5. Activities against illegal fishing
It is necessary to focus resources on preventing and stopping the violation
of fishing vessels and local fishermen in foreign waters. This is the main
violation of IUU violations and is the primary reason for the EC to remove
or not remove the yellow card. Therefore, Vietnam needs to strengthen
propaganda and disseminate to fishermen about the consequences of illegal
fishing so that fishermen do not violate. In addition, Vietnam must have
stronger sanctions for these activities, even applying criminal measures to
violators to ensure that illegal fishing is no longer active.
3.6. Law enforcement activities
First of all, it is legal compliance in actual fishing activities, which
is extremely important. Compliance with the law in practice must be
EXPERT TOPIC 35
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
taken seriously by all provinces and regions. In particular, in the work of
sanctioning violating fishing vessels, it should be strictly, uniformly and
synchronously implemented among provinces, avoiding each province in a
way that reduces deterrence for fishing vessels that still commit violations.
In particular, in terms of law enforcement and handling of violations, it is
necessary to stop fishing vessels illegally fishing in foreign waters. Therefore,
Vietnam should monitor and clarify fishing vessels that are likely to be on
the list of IUU ships to implement appropriate handling sanctions. For
import-export enterprises with detected signs of violations, it is necessary
to re-inspect. Vietnam’s fisheries sector and competent agencies need to
open peak patrols, inspection and control with coordination between
authorities and strictly punish 100% of IUU fishing acts as prescribed.
Investigate and handle 100% of cases of Vietnamese fishing vessels being
arrested by foreign countries, and handle and sanction 100% of cases of
illegal fishing in foreign waters, reporting on the mass media.
3.7. Consultancy activities of Diplomatic Mission
The Directive No. 15-CT/TW dated August 10 2022, by the Party
Secretariat on boosting economic diplomacy for the country’s development
until 2030, clearly stated the task of properly, fully, and deeply understanding
the position, role, and importance of economic diplomacy; and continuing to
expand and deepen relationships and create intertwined economic interests
with partners. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, especially the diplomatic
missions, is one of the important representatives in the process of directly
working with the EC’s inspection team during the EC’s inspections. Therefore,
Vietnam needs to continue to promote the role of Vietnam’s diplomatic
missions in direct consultations and dialogues with the EC’s inspection and
supervision missions. From there, diplomatic missions, together with leaders
of other relevant ministries and agencies, will directly receive advice and
comments from the EC for Vietnam to have timely and appropriate solutions.
Conclusion
Consumers worldwide, particularly in developed nations like the EU,
US, and Japan, are becoming more interested in reliable and ecological
goods. As a result, combating IUU fishing is largely for the long-term
growth of Vietnam’s seafood industry. This article aims to evaluate the
process of Vietnam’s efforts to remove the IUU yellow card based on the
solutions’ achievements and limitations Vietnam implemented to remove
the yellow card. The article especially makes predictions about two
scenarios: (1) if Vietnam is soon removed from the yellow card in 2023; or
(2) potential impacts if the EC imposes a red card on Vietnam. Thereby,
solutions will be proposed to remove the IUU yellow card by action groups
to help Vietnam achieve the goal of removing the IUU yellow card in 2023.
The efforts of Vietnam’s whole political system and localities in
the past to remove the yellow card are undeniable. It is not a long time
until the EC’s inspection for the 4th time, but if there is strong political
will, synchronous deployment, concentration of all available resources,
close coordination by localities, and strict implementation of the issued
documents, it is expected that Vietnam will soon remove the yellow card
in 2023. It should also be noted that these urgent implementations serve
as a good motivator to improve Vietnam’s fisheries, resulting in a more
responsible fisheries industry.
Speaking at the agricultural industry review conference on January 13,
2023, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that: “We will launch the
peak in 6 months (since the issuance of the 180-day action plan to remove
IUU yellow card) and must handle the issue of IUU yellow card removal.”
Therefore, there is a need for bold leadership, serious implementation
and synchronous coordination of both the political system and relevant
functional units, especially the sense of self-reliance and consensus of local
ship owners, captains and fishermen. Each organization and individual needs
to clearly understand their roles and responsibilities to perform well in this
task to contribute to removing the EC’s “yellow card” warning in 2023. 
36 COMPANY NEWS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH
“In company with shrimp farmers”
That is the theme of the VietShrimp Aquaculture International Fair 2024 (VietShrimp 2024), announced by Nguyen Viet Thang, Chairman of the Vietnam Fisheries
Society and Head of the Organizing Committee of VietShrimp 2024, at a press conference on October 4 at the Cà Mau Province Convention Center.
The press conference was attended by Dr.
Tran Dinh Luan, Director of the Department
of Fisheries, Ca Mau provincial leaders, and
over 20 journalists from central and local
media agencies.
In his speech at the beginning of the
conference, Nguyen Viet Thang mentioned
that 2022 was a highly successful year for
the shrimp industry, with a farming area of
747,000 hectares, a harvest of over 1 million
tons, and export revenue of USD 4.3 billion.
However, in 2023, the shrimp industry faced
various challenges, particularly in the export
market, resulting in a 28% year-on-year decline
in export value of the first eight months. To
overcome these difficulties, the government
has implemented solutions so that the shrimp
industry can recover quickly and accelerate
once opportunities arise. Although exports
faced challenges, the shrimp production in
2023 is expected to be over 1 million tons, and
there’s a good sign that shrimp prices are on
the rise again.
of Agriculture and Rural
Development, stated that
after four participations, I
find the organization and
seminar topics to be of high
quality and closely related
to the shrimp industry’s
reality. Therefore, local
shrimp farmers and
non-governmental
organizations that have
been supporting the
province’s shrimp industry
are very interested in this
event. Hence, I promise
VietShrimp 2024 will have
our full support.
Tran Dinh Luan,
Director of the
Department of Fisheries,
stated that this event
clearly demonstrates the
roles and responsibilities
of the Vietnam Fisheries
Society and the state
management agencies
Pham Anh Tuan, Deputy Head of the towards the shrimp industry and shrimp
Sustainable Fisheries Development Division farmers. The theme of this event is excellent
(Vietnam Fisheries Society), shared some new because if we don’t accompany shrimp farmers
features and themes of VietShrimp 2024. The and leave them alone with long-term inefficient
most noticeable aspect of VietShrimp 2024 is production, the entire shrimp industry value
that it will be held for the first time in Ca Mau chain will collapse. Therefore, by gathering
Province, the largest area with the highest shrimp experts at this event, it will provide significant
export value in the country. This demonstrates support for shrimp farmers to reduce risks
the organizers’ desire to bring opportunities, and achieve higher efficiency. The Vietnamese
techniques, and technology closer to shrimp shrimp industry has a tremendous opportunity
farmers and all relevant stakeholders in the value compared to other countries, so I believe that
chain. In the shrimp value chain, shrimp farmers our shrimp industry will develop sustainably.
are the weakest link and the most vulnerable to Furthermore, we always know how to work
risks, so seminars during VietShrimp 2024 will together to make the shrimp industry thrive.
focus more on topics related to shrimp farming to VietShrimp 2024 is scheduled to take
help farmers reduce risks and increase efficiency. place from March 20 to March 22, 2024, at
The decision to make the VietShrimp Aquaculture the Ca Mau Province Convention Center,
International Fair an annual event instead of every 1 Le Duan Street, Ward 1, Ca Mau City, Ca
two years shows that the organizers are meeting Mau Province. The event is expected to have
the increasing demands of the shrimp industry. around 250 booths from over 150 domestic
Regarding to the venue of VietShrimp 2024 and international entities involved in all fields
at his hometown, Chau Cong Bang, Deputy related to fisheries and shrimp sector.
Director of the Ca Mau provincial Department VFM
 COMPANY NEWS 37
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

Hatch Blue’s fifth accelerator programme

Hatch Blue is an aquaculture innovation company founded in 2017. Its mission is to rapidly advance innovation in cultured seafood through investment, expertise
and insight.

Hatch Blue offers customised that use seaweed extracts to control

innovation services through its EHP/WFS in shrimp and other
Innovation Services division. Hatch diseases in different aquatic species
Blue has offices in Norway, Singapore with a steadfast commitment to
and the US and its multinational sustainability and the empowerment
team is dedicated to making the of small- and medium-sized seaweed
aquaculture industry and global food farmer communities.
production more sustainable. Hatch Pacific Hybreed: is developing
Blue runs an annual aquaculture Pacific oyster and Manila clam
startup accelerator for global high seed optimised for specific growing
potential aquaculture and alternative conditions. They aim to contribute
seafood startups. to the growth and resilience of the
The company operates on three shellfish aquaculture industry along
main business units: an accelerator the west coast of North America.
program, an investment fund, EcoHarvest: a hatchery
and providing consultancy and technology developer that enables
advisory services. From helping precision feeding, monitoring
new startups develop business and control of the larval rearing
plans to investing into the environment in the culture of
sector to governments trying to ornamental and food fish species.
develop this ecosystem, as well Hedros Bio: has developed a
as large companies working to precision aquaculture platform
commercialize their products, technology that leverages
Hatch Blue works with all aspects bacteriophage-based solutions to
of aquaculture innovation. replace antibiotics. It initially aims
HATCH International to develop a product to counter
Aquaculture Mixer 2023, which AHPND in shrimp.
kicked off on 26 June and runs until Coast4C: is currently building
28 September, featured companies the world’s largest supply chain
from sectors including nutrition, for regenerative seaweeds –
genetics, health, ocean conservation Some picture about activities in HATCH International Aquaculture Mixer 2023 initially focusing on trading
and the wider aquaculture supply eucheumatoids for carrageenan
chain. The 10 companies are based in – and The world seafood industry is facing many production – catering to off-takers seeking
have a particular focus on applications in – changes. This is the opportunity to catalyse an reliable and high quality seaweed, free of
North America and Southeast Asia and focus innovative seafood industry and scale impactful contamination.
on species including shrimp, seaweed, salmon, business through knowledge, investment and Living Seas Aquafeeds: has developed a
marine plants and ornamental fish. Hatch will ecosystem building. This structure offered them proprietary fermentation process that release the
initially invest 150,000 - 300,000 USD in each valuable opportunities to meet with, and learn power of bioactive molecules found naturally in
of companies, with the possibility of follow-on from, an international selection of experts and seaweeds and marine plants to create a shrimp
funding. investors. supplement that improves shrimp health,
In Vietnam, the Hatch Accelerator 5.0 The cohort consists of: growth and productivity.
toured the aquaculture industry around the GreenSage Prebiotics: is an aquaculture Certified Quality Foods: is developing a
Mekong Delta from Wednesday 20 September nutrition and feed ingredient company with a device to objectively measure animal health
onwards. The Hatch team and 6 innovative breakthrough product, derived from coconuts, and food quality – digitising data for business
aquaculture startups toured Vietnam. The that improves the health of shrimp and salmon. intelligence analysis.
6 startups had a short introductory session Halophilic Marine Agriculture: aims to The Crop Project: aims to build an efficient,
while attendees could meet with them and cultivate salt-tolerant plants (Salicornia) and scalable model for drying and milling kelp, to
other aquaculture industry stakeholders. seaweeds in disused shrimp ponds and marine extend its shelf life and open up new markets
Along the value chain, the speakers came up hydroponic systems. for processed kelp in food, beauty, fertilisers and
with new solutions to ensure a climate-smart, Blue Pond Group: is a Singaporean feed.
truly sustainable and just seafood transition. company with operations in South East Asia VFM
38 COMPANY NEWS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH

Catch welfare platform attracts international

representatives around the world
 HANS VAN DE VIS, PHD, MICHELLE BOONSTRA, NGUYEN THI THU THUY

We as the management team of Catch Welfare Platform are delighted to

inform you that on 15th of September 2023, more than 40 organisations,
companies, institutes and retailers from 14 countries across continents
registered their participation for The Catch Welfare Platform’s International
Conference. The conference will be held on 20, 21 and 22 November 2023
in Bergen Norway.
These representatives come from many countries around the world like
Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom, Uganda, New
Zealand, Austria, Portugal, Bangladesh, Iceland, Denmark and Vietnam.
From Vietnam two representatives from Fishery Assosication in Vietnam
registered.
Key organisations (industry included), which registered, are for
instance:
- Marks & Spencer - Large British multinational retailer
- Optimar - Norwegian company, world leader in automated fish
handling systems used on fishing vessels and in the aquaculture sector. Introduction to Handling
Handling in practice: Lessons learned from aquaculture.
- Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Working sessions:
- Scottish Fishermen’s Federation. Topic:
Pelagic
- Pelagisk Forening - is a professional interest organization for fishing Handling
Demersal
companies along the Norwegian coast. Passive
21/11/2023 Rod & Line
- Vietnam Fisheries Magazine - Vietnam Fisheries Association
We are pleased that the key representatives cover the entire value chain Lunch
from fishing to retail as they are or come from: Workshop & Humane Stunning of lumpfish workshop
- Fishermen Excursion Excursion in Bergen.
- Designers and manufacturers of ships, nets, machinery and equipment Conference Dinner (at your own expenses - Optional Participation)
for catching and processing of fish Introduction to Stunning and Killing
- Government organizations Stunning & Killing in practice: Experiences from the field
- Certification bodies and auditors Topic: Working sessions:
- Research institutes with ample expertise on fisheries, processing of Stunning Pelagic
fish, fish welfare and economics. and Killing Demersal
Passive
- Retailers and other stakeholders in the value chain. 22/11/2023 Rod & Line
The Catch Welfare Platform free International Kick-off Conference
Lunch
will be held from 20th to 23rd of November, 2023, in the beautiful city of
Bergen. Bergen is second largest in Norway. The program agendas are as Consumer perception: The role of storytelling, taste and
follows: Closing perception
Wrap-up: How do we move forward from here?
Timeline Content
The main organizing and coordinating committee members of the
Walk -in
Opening & Introduction CWP International Kick-off Conference
Introduction Introduction to Catch Welfare. 1. Hans van de Vis, Wageningen Livestock Research, The Netherlands.
Market Perspective on Fish Welfare – Linda Wood, 2. Michelle Boonstra, Michelle Boonstra Consultancy, The Netherlands.
Marks & Spencer 3. Michael Breen, Institute of Marine Research Norway
Lunch
4. Themis Altintzoglou, Nofima, Norway
5. Neil Anders, Institute of Marine Research, Norway
Introduction to Capture.
20/11/2023
Capture in Practice: Experience from the field - E.G.
6. Endre Grimsbø, UiT Đại học Bắc Cực của Na Uy - UiT The Arctic
KIWI NET University of Norway.
Topic: Working sessions: 7. Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy (Kathy), University of Economics HCMC.
Capture Pelagic 8. Bjorn Roth, Nofima, Norway.
Demersal 9. Ragnhild Svalheim, Nofima, Norway
Passive
Rod & Line
For any information about the project and related topics, please contact
Ms. Michelle Boonstra, Project Manager - michelle@catchwelfareplatform.
Tapas + Drinks com.
 COMPANY NEWS 39
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 VIETFISH