New regulations of EC on IUU fishing have kept growth of Vietnamese seafood export both in volume and value. According to assessment of Department of Capture Fisheries and Resources Protection (DECAFIREP), with efforts of localities, enterprises, farmers and relevant agencies, Vietnam fishery industry gradually meets requirements of IUU fishing (a regulation on preventing, deterring and eliminating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing).
Figure shows that in the first six months of 2010 seafood exporters to EU were obligated to apply new regulations, eventually Vietnam seafood exports to the market decreased remarkably with 9 percent in volume and 11 percent in value on those of the same period of 2009. However, for the second half of 2010, Vietnam seafood export had made an impressive progress, contributed significantly into the total seafood export volume of the country to EU in 2010.
In 2010, the growth of Vietnamese seafood exports to EU reached 103.5 thousand MT, worth US$376.2 million, up 8.8 percent in volume and 11.4 percent in value on those of 2009. In the first four months of 2011, seafood exports to EU gained considerable outcomes: Up 0.9 percent in volume and 22.2 percent in value in which marine fish exports reached 31.9 thousand MT, worth US$124.5 million, up 14 percent in volume and 25 percent in value compared with those of the same period of 2010.
After one year of applying EU new regulations, Vietnam fishery industry has achieved certain results thank to good cooperation among authorities, exporters and fishermen. None of seafood consignment to EU was refused. According to DECAFIREP, to the end of April 2011, 21 among 28 coastal provinces and cities obeyed regulations on certification of caught marine fish (mainly squid, shrimp, crab, swimming crab and tuna) exported to EU.
VASEP expressed that the new IUU regulation still causes difficulties to many local seafood exporters. Fishermen are not completely aware of IUU, raw materials are collected from different suppliers in localities.
