The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has called for stricter inspection of fisheries imports after several cases of illegal aquatic products from China were uncovered.
Earlier this month, Ha Noi Market Watch seized nearly half a tonne of frogs, catfish and mullet imported from China. In late April, authorised forces also found trucks transporting aquatic products including sturgeon illegally imported from China and destined for wholesale markets in the city.
Director of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Viet Nam Do Quang Tung confirmed that CITES Viet Nam had never granted any licenses to import sturgeon to Viet Nam.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam said sturgeon, shrimp and other fisheries products were still being illegally imported in Viet Nam despite the efforts of authorised agencies.
The amount of fisheries products illegally imported into the country was in fact far bigger than that seized by authorised agencies, he said.
Nguyen Trong Cu, director of Viet Duc Trade and Investment Co Ltd, which specialises in the trading of sturgeon raised in northern Vinh Phuc Province’s Tam Dao District, told Nguoi Lao Dong (The Labourer) newspaper that around 13 tonnes of Chinese sturgeon were imported into Viet Nam each day.
At a meeting on Monday, deputy minister Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu asked relevant agencies to take measures to prevent the illegal import of poultry, sturgeon and frogs via border areas, so as not to affect local producers.
The ministry plans to work with localities and the Ministry of HomeAffairs to finalise the inspection system to implement more effective prevention measures.
Chairman of the Viet Nam Tra Fish Association Nguyen Viet Thang said his group had warned consumers to be more careful when buying sturgeon products and proposed that authorised agencies introduce measures to tighten controls over sturgeon imports to protect the interests of domestic consumers and producers.
The measures were also essential to raise competitiveness for local producers by promoting their trademarks both inside and outside the country, he said.