March 30, 2016
824 Vietnam shrimp farms aim for BAP certification
US firm National Fish and Seafood Inc. (NF&S) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) and Vietnamese aquaculture company Minh Phu to undertake a project that will enable around 824 black-tiger shrimp farms in Vietnam to get Best Aquaculture Practice (BAP) certification.
"We are proud of this initiative, as it will shape the future of our industry and chart a course that will deliver exceptional product, ethical accountability and environmental sustainability while meeting ever-growing customer demand", said James Baros, aquaculture and sustainability manager of NF&S during the MOU signing at the Seafood Expo North America 2016 held in Boston, USA, in early March.
Baros said this is the first big-scale project of its kind it has undertaken. The farms aim to achieve BAP group certification as they are integrated farms where the shrimps are grown in harmony with natural mangrove forests.
The farms, located at Ca Mau province, would require no feed or medicines, as all the feed the shrimps need is produced naturally.
The shrimp seeds, provided by Minh Phu, are stocked at very low densities of five to seven pieces per square meter so that there should be very little chance of disease occurring.
NF&S will educate and train the farmers and staffs of Minh Phu, who will be carrying out farm inspections, in order to meet the criteria.
The BAP certification will require the protection of the mangroves, and inspections will be done to show compliance. Many mangrove shrimp farming systems in the past have resulted in mangrove forest destructions.
The farms, once certified, could export their products to the US and other markets through Minh Phu, which will also pay the farmers a small premium as an incentive for their participation in the programme.