VietNamNet Bridge - Despite mass fish deaths in central Vietnam, fish caught in the area are still being exported to major markets. 

Nguyen Van Chin, director of the Bac Dau Seafood Company, said the fish are caught in the open sea, and not contaminated. 

He also said that new orders for fish continue to be made.

“The fish we collect from fishermen will be examined to ensure that they have high quality,” he said.

“And you must know that import countries such as Japan, South Korea and China always examine the imports very carefully and they will refuse products if they find problems in quality,” he said, adding that importers have not made complaints about Vietnam’s exports.

Tran Van Linh, chair and general director of Thuan Phuoc Seafood & Trade Company, also confirmed that the exports to Europe, Australia and the US continue as usual amid information about the mass fish deaths in the central region. 

Despite mass fish deaths in central Vietnam, fish caught in the area are still being exported to major markets.

Also according to Linh, while the average export price has decreased by 20-25 percent compared with 2014-2015, the company’s export price still has increased by 10 percent. Every year, the company exports $100 million worth of products.

Le Thi Huong, a fishing boat owner in Son Tra district of Da Nang City, also said her boat goes out to the open sea as usual, while seafood processing companies continue to collect fish from her. 

However, he admitted that it was difficult to sell fish at domestic traditional markets because people fear they may accidentally buy bad fish.

In an effort to reassure the public about the quality of fish, Da Nang City’s Mayor and other city’s leaders, during a working visit to the fish port some days ago, bought 100 kilos of fish and prepared meals at the port.

Local newspapers reported that Minister of Information and Communication Truong Minh Tuan on May 1, when visiting the Vung Ang Port, had lunch of cattle fish at Thanh Nhan Restaurant. 

According to Secretary General of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) Truong Dinh Hoe, Vietnam exported $2 billion worth of seafood in the first four months of the year, an increase of 6.2 percent compared with the last year’s same period. 

The US, Japan, China and South Korea are the biggest export markets for Vietnam.

Hoe said that exports were examined twice, before shipments by Vietnamese agencies, and after they arrived in foreign ports by import countries.


PLVN