During his stay in Vietnam, Mr Powell will answer technical questions related to methods and procedures to assess tra fish production. He will also hold meetings with the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), reporters and other related parties.
In addition, WWF Vietnam has received a list of questions and the results of assessing tra and basa fish. This information has been transferred to the Directorate of Fisheries and the VASEP.
WWF Vietnam agreed on the Directorate of Fisheries’ recommendation that the WWF should remove Vietnam’s tra and basa fish from the Red List in their 2010-2011 consumer guidance manual while waiting for the results of the WWF assessment. Future assessments should also be carried out with the participation of all related parties.
Although WWF Vietnam is not involved in assessing Vietnam’s tra and basa fish, it said it should be responsible for participating in resolving the issue.
Earlier, in the 2010-2011 guidance manual on Vietnam’s tra fish for European consumers in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway and Demark, several WWF member organizations have moved Vietnam’s tra fish products from the Orange List (products that can be considered for use) to the Red List (products should not be used).
This information has been opposed by tra fish breeders and related seafood agencies in Vietnam as it lacks scientific foundation.
1 comment:
Hey, just wanted to say that I'm following your updates closely... I just spent three months traveling around Southeast Asia, including a trip up the Mekong that passed through Can Tho. On that trip I saw lots of tra farms along the river, and everywhere I went Vietnamese people sang the praises of tra farming. (I ate it many times, too, and it's tasty!)
I've also heard tra described enthusiastically by many Westerners, including Paul Greenberg, who praise the fish's great feed conversion rates. So to hear that tra has been red-listed, and that the WWF has deep concerns about the way it's farmed, is surprising and disappointing, since it's a fish with a lot of potential. I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out.
Cheers,
Ben
http://30below.wordpress.com/
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