US law firm Sidley Austin Sidley is representing the Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF) to advise on standards for exporting into the European Union and the US, and to help reduce trade barriers when they arise.
It is understood that this advice will be given free of charge.
A MoU was signed at last year, but the announcement of the partnership was made this week at the one day ‘EU and US standards for aquatic products' workshop, organised by BSFF and Fishery Products Business Promotion Council with the support from World Fish Centre and USAID Bangladesh.
The workshop was attended by representatives from department of fisheries, concerned ministries, Bangladesh Economic Growth Programme, Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI), Bangladesh Tariff Commission, Business Promotion Council, EU, USAID, World Fish Centre, Bangladesh Aquaculture Alliance (BAA) and Bangladesh Frozen Fish Exporters Association.
Speakers at the workshop discussed effective measures both from the government and private sector to raise awareness among the stakeholders on various compliance and standards issues applied in the major importing countries.
They said proper compliance with the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures applied in the importing countries has become problematic for the country's producers and exporters mainly due to their ignorance and lack of awareness of such regulations - national efforts should aim at improving the SPS standards at both the plant and field levels and at strengthening the testing, monitoring, they said.
They also put emphasis on enhancing capacity of the farmers, processors and exporters of the fishery products in a bid to meet the international standards.
BAA President Maksudur Rahman said, "The shrimp aquaculture industry is subject to several challenges arising out of its incorporation into a globalised system of production, distribution and retailing up to consumer level.
"We need pragmatic policies and interventions to take care of the industry which has three most important resources of manpower, land and water for shrimp production and export," he said.
