Local seafood importers are facing trouble with production due to many tuna containers being held at ports, as a result of a regulation issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the quarantine of animals and seafood, Lao Dong newspaper reported.

Phu Yen Province's fishermen carry tuna ashore. Many tuna containers are being held at ports due to animal quarantine regulation

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) has written to the ministry asking for help over the paralyzed production and processing activities impacting several firms whose tuna imports have been transshipped via ports.

VASEP attributed the blocked tuna containers, which are imported via transshipment ports, to the inability to meet the requirements of Circular 36.

The circular recommends that the import shipments have a confirmation presented by the agencies of the nations where seafood and aquatic products are transported via their transshipment ports.

In addition, the contents of the confirmation are required to include a list of seafood, the quantity, time and venue of loading and unloading the seafood and the status of storage.

However, the majority of the authorities governing transshipment ports across various countries and territories, such as the Salomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, South Africa, Senegal and South Korea refuse to grant a confirmation, which hinders seafood shipments via these ports from meeting the regulated requirements.

Some nations, including Thailand and the Philippines, agree to present a confirmation, but their confirmation is based on the documentation from nations that do not have enough contents, as stipulated in Circular 36.

As such, VASEP has proposed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development consider suspending the execution of Circular 36 until March-end to address the ongoing backlogs at the ports.

SGT