The World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) has agreed to immediately remove Viet Nam's tra (pangasius) fish from the red list of its consumer guidance manual.

The announcement was made by the head of the WWF's Global Seafood Programme Mark Powell during a press conference in Ha Noi yesterday. His statement came after WWF representatives met with Fisheries Directorate to explain why it had placed the fish on the red list of in its consumer guidance manual for 2010-11.

Powell said that world consumers could continue buying Viet Nam's tra fish while pledging that the WWF would co-operate with Viet Nam to ensure sustainable production of the popular fish.

"We are very happy to bring the recommendation to seafood buyers around the world," Powell said. "This will provide buyers around the world an opportunity to invest in Vietnamese farmers and industry in future."

Asked why the WWF had decided not to place Viet Nam's tra fish on its red list, Powell said the fund was modifying its seafood guide advice to place tra on a list of fish which were moving towards certification.

"We do not intend to punish pangasius farmers and I think the brightest future for farmers is to be given certification as sustainable producers of pangasius for the world," Powell said.

Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, VASEP, Vice Chairman Nguyen Huu Dung said the Vietnamese Government was committed to sustainable production of tra fish.

"Viet Nam's tra fish is increasingly clean and has met international standards," said Dung.

Viet Nam has 20 companies operating 40 tra fish breeding farms under the stringent Global GAP standards for sustainable aquaculture.

Dung said the Government would support VASEP to ensure that all commercial tra fish breeding met Global GAP standards during the 2011-15 period.

Fisheries Directorate deputy director Nguyen Anh Tuan said the WWF and Vietnamese partners would continue working today to seek for agreements on sustainable aquaculture production in general and tra fish in particular.

"We have a few small disagreements but those are like disagreements within a family so that's ok," Powell said. "We have co-operated well in the past and we are pleased to continue co-operation well in the future."

Earlier, the Viet Nam Fishing Association asked the WWF to remove all printed and online information showing the red-listing of tra fish as soon as possible.

Powell said the fund would do so as quickly as it could.

The fishing association also wanted the Government and the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry to lobby WWF members in six European countries to correct misinformation about the fish.

Videotapes should be shown depicting the sustainable production of tra fish, shrimp and tilapia in Viet Nam, the association said.

Dung said the country's tra fish was exported to over 120 countries and territories around the world and met the stringent standards of the EU, Australia, the US and Japan.

Viet Nam exported 538,201 tonnes of tra fish in the first 10 months of this year, fetching US$1.151 billion. This year's export turnover of this product is expected to reach $1.4 billion.

Source: VNS