REPORT: Vietnam Yellowfin Tuna FIP Traceability Consultation Meeting
March 3, 2017
Nha Trang, Vietnam
The Vietnam Tuna Association (VINATUNA) and WWF hosted a meeting for participants and stakeholders in the Vietnam Yellowfin Tuna FIP here.
The primary focus of the meeting was the roll-out of the final version of the “Fit for FIP” traceability code system for Vietnam tuna processors supplying tuna products to FIP Partner customers like Sea Delight. This code allows FIP Partners to mark their products with a code that can be used to trace FIP tuna products from vessel to finished production lot.
VINATUNA representative, Mr. Tran Van Hao, gave a presentation explaining the code and how to use it. A code example and key are below:
Ex: FI-207-002-6-05-1
FI: Special code for Vietnam yellowfin tuna, hook and line caught under FIP
207: Company code based on Government Issued Exporter Number and/or EU number. EU number is DL 207
002: Julian date code 002 is Jan. 2 for non-leap years
6: Last number of Year
05: Port Code from FIP Port List
1: Gear type. Handline = 1, longline = 2
This code can be displayed on the packaging of VN FIP tuna products sold to FIP partners.
Mr. Hao discusses the trace code implementation with meeting participants
This was followed by a presentation from Mr. David Schorr of WWF US’ Transparent Seas Project. Mr. Schorr updated the participants on the US NOAA traceability and anti-IUU regulations going into effect in Jan. 2018. For more information on this Sea Delight customers can view the NOAA website:
Interested parties can also attend the NOAA meeting at the Boston Seafood Show March 19 to 21.
Mr. Schorr explaining the new NOAA regulations
Mr. Schorr’s presentation was followed by a presentation by Ms. Susan Roxas from WWF, representing the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability. WWF, the Global Food Traceability Center, together with a consortium of non-profits and academe is working with governments and worldwide fishery stakeholders to establish the groundwork for international voluntary standards for seafood traceability based on shared key data sets electronically captured and transmitted via interoperable IT architecture. Consultations will be held in the Boston and Brussels seafood fairs, with a meeting in Bangkok on May 3 and 4 for deeper technical discussions with ASEAN industry representatives.
Sea Delight will be supporting the implementation of the VN Tuna FIP Trace Code system as well as the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability. Updated reports of our participation will be coming soon to this website.