Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – Shipments of seafood,excluding fish, to many markets📖, especially the European Union (EU), showedsigns of reduction recently, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exportersand Producers (VASEP).

The association’s statistics showed the export value of tunain April dropped nearly 4 percent from the previous month. The decline was 10percent in the European market. Also in April, export of cuttlefish and octopus to the EUfell by 41 percent and that of bivalve down 19 percent. VASEP Secretary General Truong Dinh Hoe attributed thedecreases to a lack of raw materials, as only a modest portion of domesticsupply can meet requirements on origin. Statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment showed tuna output in the three main fishing provinces reached 7,400tonnes in the first four months, down 14 percent year on year. Binh Dinhprovince reported the biggest decrease of 18 percent. Director of the Sai Gon Vinh Thuan Seafood Company Tran NgocTuoi said domestic supply can meet only 40 percent of her company’s capacity,while EU importers only accept products originating in Vietnam’s waters. Thelack of materials has affected the company’s revenues. The decrease in seafood exports to the EU showed that the EU’syellow card on Vietnam due to IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishinghad begun to exert negative effects on shipments to this market. According to VASEP, domestic exporters are making efforts tomeet the EU’s requirements related to IUU, but a lack of experience in conductingprocedures in the field has affected export activities, especially the exportof products that are sourced from many ships and localities.

On October 23, 2017, the European Commission issued a "yellowcard" warning to Vietnam, after the country failed to demonstratesufficient progress in the fight against IUU fishing.

According to EC’s requirement, the Vietnamese seafood sector had toimplement nine recommendations ꦐduring six months from October 23, 2017, toApril 23, 201🐎8.

A delegation of the European Commission (EC) is visiting Vietnam fromMay 15-24 to inspect the outcomes of the country’s measures to control illegal,unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

After the ins♍pection, the EU 🦋will give its final decision over whetherit seeks to withdraw the “yellow card” from Vietnamese offshore seafood.-VNA