Catfish redefinition could hurt US

USDA's move to change the official definition of catfish is a mistake and may backfire, according to an expert.

It would be a mistake for the USDA to expand the definition of catfish to include tra and basa or Vietnamese Pangasius, said John Connelly, President of the US National Fisheries Institute (NFI).

Connelly claimed the move would hurt both the US and Vietnam.

The decision would impact exports of US soy, a key product for Pangasius production, to Vietnam if production there declines, he said.

Connelly also argued that the ban on Vietnamese Pangasius stemming from such a USDA decision would dampen job recruitment for Pangasius processing in Idaho, Massachusetts and Florida.

He said US consumers would also lose the option of purchasing Vietnamese products if a ban is implemented.

Connelly said Vietnamese tra and basa are safe and healthy products, and increasing the imports of Vietnamese Pangasius would help boost US exports to Vietnam in return.

The decision would also contradict President Obama's efforts to re-energise and revitalise US leadership abroad by hurting the trade relationship with Vietnam, he said.

In 2002, the US Congress did not classify Vietnamese tra and basa as catfish when it could, so a redefinition now would effectively bar Vietnam from competing against domestic catfish, Connelly said.