[APN] STAKEHOLDERS CONSULTATION WORKSHOP ON SUSTAINABLE MANGROVE-SHRIMP AQUACULTURE STANDARDS

[APN] STAKEHOLDERS CONSULTATION WORKSHOP ON SUSTAINABLE MANGROVE-SHRIMP AQUACULTURE STANDARDS

On 06-07, September 2022, the Center for Environment and Community Assets Development (CECAD) conducted a Stakeholders Consultation Workshop on Sustainable Mangrove-Shrimp Aquaculture Standards. The Workshop is an activity of the project “Towards Sustainable Mangrove-Shrimp Aquaculture Through Capacity Building and Partnership in the Mekong River Delta” funded by the Asia-Pacific Network – APN.

Please find the project information here

The workshop participants are representatives of:

  • Tra Vinh Fisheries Sub-Department
  • Tra Vinh Forest Protection Department
  • Tra Vinh Department of Agriculture
  • Tra Vinh Agricultural Extension
  • Tra Vinh University
  • Management Board of Long Khanh Nature Reserve
  • Tra Vinh Fishery and Gardening Association
  • Long Thanh Cooperative
  • Thanh Dat Cooperative
  • Cuu Long Seapro Company
  • Mangrove-Shrimp farming households in Long Khanh commune, Duyen Hai district

At the workshop, Dr. Phan Thi Ngoc Diep – An environment and Fishery expert presented the current status of shrimp farming in Vietnam and the Mekong Delta and solutions towards sustainable mangrove-shrimp aquaculture in the Mekong Delta. She also introduced the Asian Seafood Improvement Collaborative (ASIC), the standard that the project expected to apply.

During the Q&A discussion, the participants actively contributed opinions and provided a lot of important information about the current difficulties of the people in Tra Vinh province with the mangrove-shrimp aquaculture model. According to the representative of the Tra Vinh Sub-Department of Fisheries and the representative of the Tra Vinh Agricultural Extension, with the current status of mangrove-shrimp aquaculture in Tra Vinh, the project will receive support and active engagement from the local people. However, the project might face some difficulties and struggles during the process of developing and implementing the standards. Currently, people are still struggling in choosing quality seeds. In addition, the low rate of mangroves and ponds is also a problem that hinders enterprises and households from being awarded the necessary certifications. CECAD has recorded all the opinions and will use them as an important document for the next activities of the project.

CECAD also conducted a training needs assessment on the ASIC Sustainable Shrimp Farming Certificate. It is expected that the training course will be held in November 2022.