The regulatory scheme and performance of Vietnamese agencies in charge of ensuring the quality and safety of seafood at all administrative levels nationwide are in compliance with European Commission standards.

It was said by the National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD), which cited the findings of a group of EU inspectors who visited the Vietnamese agencies last year.

The department, however, admitted that the European inspectors found shortcomings related to hygienic conditions at pre-processing facilities, including finding boats, ports and fisheries.

NAFIQAD has asked provincial department of agriculture and rural development to continue working to boost awareness of food safety regulations among the owners of fishing fleets, the managers of fishing ports, the operators of fish-breeding facilities, and purchasing agents.

Agricultural quality assurance branches need to intensify their inspections of hygienic conditions at these pre-processing facilities, the department said.

It also asked businesses that process seafood for export to use materials verified by municipal and provincial agricultural quality assurance branches.-VNA