(vasep.com.vn) The delegation from National Food Safety and Quality Service of Argentina (SENASA) visited Viet Nam to inspect the local seafood processing facilities that have been exporting seafood products to this market.

(SeafoodSource) The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is holding a press conference on 20 August to formally introduce the first ASC-labeled product — tilapia from a farm in Indonesia.

(vasep.com.vn) In July 31st 2012, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Cao Duc Phat sent Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (MHLW) a letter on problem of Ethoxyquin residue in shrimp exported to Japan market.

(seafood.com) A survey commissioned by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) shows that the percent of consumers who buy fish at least once every two months who are aware of the MSC ecolabel has risen to 30%, up from 23 percent in 2010. This is an increase of 30%.

(vasep.com.vn) In Ca Mau province, there are over 800 shrimp seed trading and producing facilities, supplying for the market over 10 billion of shrimp seed per year.

(vasep.com.vn) Norman Grant, Chairman of the Australian Seafood Importers Association, has praised the quality of Vietnam seafood at a seminar held in Sydney.

(vasep.com.vn) In August 2012, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) will continue to work with Japan on the regulation of Ethoxyquin inspection as well as the regulation on maximum residue limits (MRLs) for Ethoxyquin residue in aquatic feed in Vietnam.

(IntraFish) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received reports of illness caused by vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria from several states, and shellfish harvested from Oyster Bay Harbor, in New York state, have been linked to the illnesses.

(vasep.com.vn) To help seafood enterprises to understand more about BAP standards, Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) in coordination with Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) and Trung Khai Corp. held a conference on “Best Aquaculture Practices - BAP” in Can Tho city in June 29th 2012.

(foodnavigator-asia.com) Indian is close to implementing new quality standards for imported foods, the head of India’s top food watchdog has said. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is leading the work towards a new regulatory mechanism to check food items imported to India, Dr K Chandramouli, chairperson at the FSSAI, said this week.

(seafood.com) Chile's National Fishery Service Sernapesca is asking Chilean seafood companies to prepare their operations to follow HACCP guidelines at China's request.

(TheFishSite) Representatives of the Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) and the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery met in Tokyo, Japan, to discuss lifting temporary restrictions on the import of fish and sea products to Russia from Japan.

(fis.com) Fukushima Prefecture-based octopus and shellfish are finally going on sale at supermarkets in Fukushima this week for the first time since the outbreak of the nuclear disaster in March 2011. The products first passed radioactive tests conducted by the city of Soma’s fishing association and the results and fishing locations were displayed at two supermarkets in Soma operated by York Benimaru, where the seafood was sold.

(IntraFish) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is urging food distributors, retailers, and food service operators to remove all fresh, frozen, canned, and processed molluscan shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels, and whole and roe-on scallops) from South Korea.

(foodsafetynews.com) In another attempt to calm consumer fears, China released a five-year plan last week to upgrade its food safety regulations.