15 businesses certified “Dolphin Safe”
(VOV) - Fifteen Vietnamese tuna fishing businesses have been certified as being “Dolphin Safe” and they can label their tuna exports to the EU, US and Australia accordingly.
The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP) said the Earth Island Institute (EII) has asked Vietnamese tuna exporters not to use gillnets to catch tuna, based on a report from the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) on tuna exploitation in Vietnam’s Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa provinces.
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The EII warned that Vietnamese tuna exports might not be granted the “Dolphin Safe Tuna” label any longer for fear that the use of gillnets affects dolphins’ living environment and the marine ecosystem.
The 15 Vietnamese tuna exporters confirmed that they do not use gillnets because tuna caught with them does not meet the criteria for exports.
The VASEP said if Vietnamese businesses are not granted the “Dolphin Safe” certification Vietnamese tuna cannot be sold in the major markets.
EII also recommended that Vietnamese tuna exporters label all their tuna products with State certifications.