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Netherlands’ Minister Verburg visited Vietnam


The Netherlands’ Minister Verburg, Minister for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, visited Vietnam during a working visit from July 5-8. The Netherlands is one of the largest importers of agricultural products from Vietnam in Europe, including coffee, cocoa, fish products, fruit and vegetables. In the fisheries industry the country focuses on food safety issues, sustainable tuna fishing and connecting Vietnam with the international fisheries conventions.

Part of the visit was the Public Private Partnership (PPP) meeting with partners in the field of fisheries, held in Ho Chi Minh City. Our WWF project is part of this partnership. The main subject of the meeting was the cooperation between the Dutch and Vietnamese Government in connecting Vietnam with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).
 
During the visit Vietnam stated to Minister Verburg it is going to work on the membership of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC). The Dutch Government will guide Vietnam in this next step for its fisheries, which is necessary in the road towards MSC certification.
 
Besides assisting Vietnam in becoming member of WCPFC, the Dutch Government, Culimer and WWF are working together with Vietnamese partners (DECAFIREP, provincial tuna associations and fishery departments) towards sustainable tuna. Part of this project is the introduction of circle hooks, a type of hooks that has been shown to reduce by-catch of marine turtles by as much as 80%, compared to traditional “J” hooks.
 
For more information about this project, please check our sustainable tuna project page.

Picture info: General Manager of Culimer Vietnam Thuy Bich Nguyen
and Minister Verburg from The Netherlands