SeaFood Business

MAY 2014

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Global News HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam Vietnam pangasius farms pledge to meet ASC standard and UMAF pollock prod- ucts from Alaska and Rus- sia Sea of Okhotsk fsheries. Five companies didn't re- spond, resulting in suspen- sion of their certifcation. VANCOUVER, British Columbia Canadian salmon farmers support aquaculture act Better rules would mean bet- ter opportunity for the prov- ince's salmon farmers, the British Columbia Salmon Farmers Association (BCS- FA) told a senate committee. While British Columbia's salmon farming community currently contributes CAD 800 million ($726 million) to the provincial economy, it could grow to CAD 1.4 billion ($1.3 billion) by 2020, resulting in 8,000 total jobs. By 2035, it could reach CAD 3.5 bil- lion ($3.2 billion) and 20,000 jobs. All the sector needs is legislation that better speaks to the work of the province's ocean farmers. "Modernizing the legisla- tive, regulatory and policy framework will allow Can- ada, and British Columbia, to realize its full potential," says Jeremy Dunn, BCSFA executive director. "We have shown that we can grow nu- tritious fsh that are healthy and coexist in the ecosystem." MADRID Pescanova granted stay for restructuring plan Embattled Spanish seafood giant Pescanova got a two- week extension from the courts to earn support for a restructuring plan. Te company's creditors were scheduled to present their decision on April 15 wheth- er to hold to the agreement presented by main share- holders Damm and Luxem- part. Any agreement needs the support of Pescanova bankruptcy trustee Deloitte, a Spanish court judge and 51 percent of the creditors. Pescanova has been em- broiled in troubles for more than a year after declining to present to Spanish regu- lators its annual accounts at the end of February 2013. Subsequent investigations revealed discrepancies be- tween the company's ac- counting and its debts, leading to allegations of ac- counting fraud. Te scan- dal drove the company into bankruptcy and led to the replacement of its board of directors and president. Most recently, Damm and the creditor banks began ne- gotiations to avoid Pescano- va's liquidation, but accord- ing to reports in the Spanish media, opinions difer among decision makers at the main creditor bank on whether to support the ofer submitted before the court. LONDON MSC suspends fve Russia pollock certifcations Te Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) suspended chain of custody certifca- tions for fve companies con- nected to the Russia pollock supply chain after it carried out a compliance audit. Be- tween October and February, MSC conducted a detailed reconciliation exercise on global sales and purchasing of MSC-certifed and "un- der MSC assessment fsh" (UMAF) pollock. Under UMAF requirements, some products harvested during a fshery assessment period may eventually be sold as "MSC" once the fshery is certifed, subject to specifc constraints. MSC contact- ed 75 certifed companies from diferent parts of the global supply chain to re- quest sales and purchasing volumes of MSC-certifed ASC, following seven years of development. Te major- ity of shrimp aquaculture takes place in China, fol- lowed by Tailand, Indone- sia, India, Vietnam, Brazil, Ecuador and Bangladesh. Shrimp is the seventh standard to join ASC's global program for respon- sible aquaculture. It fol- lows standards for farmed tilapia, pangasius, bivalves, abalone, freshwater trout and salmon. B y 2016, all Vietnam pan- gasius farms and supply chain companies will be certifed to the Aquacul- ture Stewardship Council (ASC) pangasius standard or equivalent, according to Pangasius Vietnam, a divi- sion of the Vietnam Asso- ciation of Seafood Exporters and Producers. Te Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural De- velopment (MARD) drafted the decree on pangasius farming, processing and ex- porting, which is anticipated by Jan. 1, 2016. Tere are currently 43 ASC certifed farms in the Mekong Delta supplying pangasius. Te frst farm to be certi- fed against the ASC pan- gasius standard was Vinh Hoan in September 2012, when the frst products bearing the ASC logo for responsible pangasius aqua- culture became available across the Netherlands. To meet the standard, certifed farms must demonstrate that they use responsible aquaculture practices that minimize environmental and social impact. According to MARD, pangasius farming in Vietnam comprises an esti- mated 5,950 hectares with an output of 977,000 metric tons (MT). Te Dong Tap region had the highest area at 1,875 hectares and a pro- duction of 342,000 MT. Ben Tre produced 154,000 MT across 700 hectares and Vinh Long harvested 101,000 MT on 425 hectares. In related news, the Shrimp Aquaculture Dia- logue handed over the shrimp standard to the 10 SeaFood Business May 2014 For updated NEWS, go to www.SeafoodSource.com Photo by James Wright 06_11NewsRecap.indd 10 4/21/14 8:07 AM

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