A seminar granting the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certificate for the oyster cultivation in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre was held in the province on December 9.

The seminar, co-organised by the provincial People’s Committee, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP), drew the participation of representatives from 28 coastal provinces nationwide, the Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 2 (RIA 2), and seafood processing businesses inside and outside the province.

The participants spoke highly of the Ben Tre oysters MSC certificate saying that it creates a great opportunity for the Ben Tre oysters as an eco-seafood product that will be available for consumers all over the world.

Nguyen Thi Dieu Thuy, a WWF expert, said that since Vietnam’s seafood trade promotion is facing difficulties, the MSC certificate is considered a passport for the Vietnamese seafood to enter the world market.

According to the Vietnam Customs General Administration, in the first 11 months of the year, Vietnam exported nearly 17,500 tonnes of oysters worth more than 37.2 million USD, up 49.6 percent in volume and 50.3 percent in value over the same period last year.

Ben Tre boasts the largest area of oyster cultivation in the country with 9,600 ha which turn out between 8,000-27,000 tonnes of oysters per year. The province is now home to 10 seafood cooperatives with over 8,700 member households and 35 oyster raising groups.

On December 10, WWF and MSC will work with several other seafood cooperatives inside and outside Ben Tre province to discuss ways to obtain the MSC certificate./.