ASC supports Vietnamese transition

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is stepping up support for Vietnam’s aquaculture industry as producers prepare to transition to its new Farm Standard.

Almost 200 producers, processors, exporters and other industry stakeholders gathered at an event in Can Tho to discuss implementation challenges, understand the new requirements and seek practical guidance from ASC experts.

“Certification standards have to work in the real world if they are going to drive meaningful improvements,” said Alison Hutchins, ASC’s producer engagement director. She said direct engagement helped clarify requirements and identify where additional guidance could make implementation easier.

The new Farm Standard consolidates requirements previously covered by multiple species-specific standards into a single global framework. ASC has extended the transition period until 1 May 2028, giving producers additional time to prepare.

Vietnam is a key market for the programme, with more than a decade of experience in ASC certification. The country is the third-largest producer of ASC-certified shrimp and the largest producer of ASC-certified pangasius.

Questions raised during the Can Tho session included antibiotic use, traceability through TraceASC, buffer zones, groundwater monitoring, waste management and certification validity.

Koji Yamamoto, ASC’s general manager for Japan and producer engagement lead for Southeast Asia, said producers needed practical answers about applying requirements under different farming conditions.

“Our role is not simply to publish a standard and leave producers to interpret it on their own,” he said, describing engagement as a two-way process to improve understanding and identify where clearer guidance or better tools are needed.

Discussions also covered requirements across the wider supply chain, including feed sourcing, ingredient traceability, environmental performance and labour conditions under ASC’s Feed Standard.

The session introduced ASC’s Aquaculture Improvement Programme, which offers businesses not yet meeting all certification requirements a structured route to identify gaps, achieve improvement milestones and demonstrate progress through independent verification.

ASC and the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers will continue technical engagement, training and dialogue to support the transition and strengthen responsible aquaculture practices across Vietnam.