Responsibly farmed pangasius; a taste of things to come

Vietnam is the source of more than 90 percent of the world's pangasius exports, which have has increased 50-fold in the last decade. The majority of this pangasius is farmed in 23 square miles of ponds across nine provinces of the Mekong River Delta, a critically important freshwater habitat. In 2011, the region's farmed pangasius production amounted to 600,000 tons.

In 2010, WWF, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) and the Vietnam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS) signed a Cooperation Agreement to support efforts to improve environmental and social responsibility in the pangasius industry in order to achieve Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification. The ASC certification guarantees that the pangasius is farmed in a responsible manner with minimal negative impact on the environment, farm staff and surrounding communities.

Huong Vuong Corporation was the first producer to express its commitment to ASC, and in November 2012 achieved ASC certification for its farm in Phu Tuc in the Mekong Delta.

http://vietnam.panda.org

RID 3534