Focus On: VIETNAMff

The tuna industry started in Vietnam during the early 1990’s and boomed after the year 2000. It’s currently one of the most important businesses in the fisheries sector in the Central and Central-Southern provinces of the country.

Most of the tuna landings are exported, and only a small part -tuna in sizes of less than 30Kg/pc- is processed into smoked, canned and fillet products. Recently the total Vietnamese tuna landing was estimated at 20.000 M/T a year.

According to an article published by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), there are about 10 tuna species occurring in Vietnam sea waters, of which the biggest reserves are skipjack tuna, bigeye tuna and yellowfin tuna.

The Vietnamese tuna fishing fleet includes 1.600 vessels, of which only 50 have the capacity of 200-750HP. So, the fleet does not include any large purse seiners, and the remaining vessels are even smaller with capacity of 40-300HP. The most common method used to fish tuna is long-lining.

On July 25^th 2007, the former Ministry of Fisheries of Vietnam signed a decree joining the Convention on the Conservation and Management of the Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, which implies adherence to the regional fisheries management organization. In the case of Vietnam, it would be the Western-Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).

According to the Commission, Vietnam is presently not qualified for WCPFC’s membership due to the lack of data systems on fishing species; limited capabilities to implement programs on monitoring and inspect fishing activities; poor system on Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS); and unavailable centers to monitor fishing vessels at sea.

On the other hand, by joining the WCPFC, Vietnam will be subjected to fishing quota allocation and will have its seafood accepted in the European Community markets. Currently, many EU member countries are imposing barriers to Vietnamese seafood due to its non- participation in the WCPFC. They claim that Vietnam’s fishing can affect tuna stocks in international waters due to the migratory behavior of the species.

The EU is Vietnam’s main market reaching 35% of the country’s tuna exports during the first 6 months of this year, equivalent to 8.285 M/T. This can be considered a recent change for the Asian country, given that until 2007 its main importer was the United States. The US imported 39% of Vietnamese tuna products in 2006. 

Even though tuna exports represent only 4,7% of the Vietnamese seafood industry, it has generated USD 438.419 million in the past three years.  

In addition, Vietnam’s lack of membership to the WCPFC prevents it from having off-shore fishing fleets and exploit the Commission’s regulated sea waters outside the EEZ: “Joining the WCPFC will help Vietnam adopt technology supports in fishing, preserving tuna; access to information in tuna stocks, markets, training courses for staffs and fishers. And one of biggest benefits when being WCPFC’s member is that Vietnam can avoid some trade barriers imposed by importing countries. Actions are being taken to speed up the inclusion of Vietnam as a WCPFC member”, concluded the WCPFC report.

The volume of tuna exported until June 2008 – 25.030 M/T – represented a 7% drop compared to the same period in 2007. Nevertheless, the value increased in 18% reaching USD 89.148 million.

In February 2008, there was a significant drop in Vietnam’s seafood exports, which could be caused by the EU temporary ban on the country’s swordfish and tuna.

Vietnam’s membership to the WCPFC is pending on a series of recommendations that need to be followed up, such as complying with all the rights and obligations when becoming a member, establishing step by step a deep-sea fishing fleet to catch ocean tuna in the Commission’s regulated waters, setting-up the Vietnam Association of Ocean Tuna Producers and promoting MSC accreditation for Vietnamese tuna.