Source & Author: Undercurrent News
With Vietnam already wary over the possibility of an EU “yellow card” due to its lack of action in fighting illegal fishing, now the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has warned it to up its game, reports Vietnam News.
The warning was made during a seminar on the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) held on Oct. 11 in Ho Chi Minh by NOAA and the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (Vasep).
Speaking at the seminar, Heather Brandon, international fisheries and marine mammal specialist from the US, said SIMP establishes permitting, data reporting and record-keeping requirements for the import of certain priority fish and fish products that have been identified as being particularly vulnerable to illegal fishing or seafood fraud.
Brandon said the SIMP applied to seafood entering the US from a foreign country. The importer of record will be required to keep records regarding the chain of custody of fish or fish products from harvest to the point of entry into the US.
The mandatory compliance date is Jan. 1, 2018 for most priority species listed in the regulation, with shrimp and abalone compliances phased in at a later date.