Nam Dinh still has about 3,000ha of clams, mainly in Giao Thuy and Nghia Hung districts, that would be able to meet ASC requirements. (Photo: khuyennongvn.gov.vn) Nam Dinh (VNA) – Hard clam (MeretrixLyrata) in the northern province of Nam Dinh has become the first in Vietnamand the world as well to be presented with the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)certificate.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)and the provincial People’s Committee jointly held a ceremony in Nam Dinh onDecember 15 to announce the honour.
The clams are raised in a 500-ha farm in Nam Dinhcommune, Nghia Hung district, Nam Dinh province, with an annual output of 10,000tonnes.
The winning of the certificate is the result of aproject on clam chain connectivity according to ASC implemented by theprovincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in coordination withLenger Seafoods Vietnam Co., Ltd, with the support of the InternationalCollaborating Centre for Aquaculture and Fisheries Sustainability (ICAFIS), andthe Research Centre for Resources and Rural Development (RECERD.
Founded in 2010 by WWF and IDH (Dutch SustainableTrade Initiative), the ASC is an independent, international non-profitorganisation that manages the world’s leading certification and labellingprogramme for responsible aquaculture.
Its farm standards set strict requirements forresponsible aquaculture that encourage seafood producers to minimise the keyenvironmental and social impacts of aquaculture.
According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture andRural Development Phung Duc Tien, the ASC certificate will facilitate theexport of Vietnamese clams to many countries.
He described the certification as an importantpremise and a golden opportunity for Vietnam to boost the domestic fisherysector in general, and clam breeding in the country and Nam Dinh province inparticular.
Nam Dinh still has about 3,000ha of clams, mainly inGiao Thuy and Nghia Hung districts, that would be able to meet ASCrequirements, said Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee NguyenPhung Hoan.
The official, therefore, suggested the MARD andrelevant agencies continue to develop material areas for clam factories, andwork to help the province gain the certificate for other clam farms in thelocality.
As of 2019, the total area of clams and mollusks inVietnam reached some 41,500ha, with an accumulative output of nearly 310,000tonnes, and export value in 2019 hitting nearly 94 million USD, of which 63million USD coming from clams.
Clam breeding has generated jobs for about 200,000labourers in localities across the country.
The Vietnamese hard clams have won the taste ofconsumers in Europe, the US, Japan and the Republic of Korea, among others. TheEuropean market alone makes up 52 percent of Vietnam’s total clam exportvolume./.
VNA
