Vietnam Seafood Exports to EU Fall Slightly amid IUU

Vietnam has earned US$133.5 million from exporting 35,500 tons of offshore-caught seafood to EU since Jan, down 11% in value and 9% in volume on-year due to weaker euro, rather than EU’s IUU enforcement.

The Fisheries Exploitation and Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture Rural Development was quoted by the newspaper as saying that local firms have been familiar with the IUU regulations.

The exports mostly dropped in the first quarter because Vietnamese firms felt puzzled in implementing the rules, the department said at a meeting to review the IUU implementation in Ho Chi Minh City on Jul 22.

The situation has been better since early Q2, it noted.

Local firms, however, complained that cumbersome procedures are preventing them from applying the rule.

To deal with problems, the department said it will work with EC’s agencies to complete certificate of origin forms while setting up closer link between ship owners, traders, exporters and authorities.

EU was the largest market for Vietnamese seafood with import revenues of US$420 million in H1, accounting for 21% of Vietnam’s total seafood export revenues.

Tags: Vietnam Seafood, Vietnam seafood exports