FAMED CLAM FISHERY FIRST TO RECEIVE TO
RECEIVE MSC CERTIFICATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Posted on 10 November 2009 - Hanoi, Vietnam – The Ben Tre clam fishery in Vietnam has received Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, becoming the first fishery in Southeast Asia to meet the organization’s sustainability and management standards.

The nationally renowned Ben Tre hard clams (Meretrix lyrata) are hand picked using metal rakes and collected into mesh sacks. Once collected, the clams are sold to domestic markets and exported to Europe, the US, Japan, China and Taiwan.

Ben Tre province covers a 65-kilometre coastal area and contains more than 4,800 hectares of protected mangroves. In this important region of tremendous biodiversity, the clam fishery plays a vital economic role.

The fishery is operated by a local cooperative that provides close management and surveillance of the broodstock and harvestable clams within their area. Support and advice are provided to the cooperative by the Ben Tre People’s Committee Department of Fisheries and the Ben Tre Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD). Ben Tre DARD and WWF co-sponsored the MSC certification process.

“Although our clams are largely familiar to the EU market, we are still thinking of ways to better promote our business overseas,” said Tran Thi Thu Nga, Vice Director of Ben Tre DARD. “MSC certification gives us the right to promote our products with the credible MSC ecolabel to customers worldwide.”

“I congratulate the Ben Tre clam fishery on their MSC certification. This is an historic occasion – the first small-scale, community-based fishery in South East Asia to achieve MSC certification,” said MSC Chief Executive Rupert Howes. “I am also delighted to hear that certification is already bringing benefits to the communities who depend upon this sustainable resource and very much hope other Vietnamese fisheries will soon come forward into the third-party assessment process.”

In 1997, provincial authorities established the Rang Dong Fishery Cooperative, which is co-operated and managed by the fishing community. In 2007, the Cooperative’s profits reached 40 billion VND (approximately 2.2 million USD), greatly improving the income of its members. Already, ten additional clam cooperatives have now been established, forming an alliance of cooperatives that covers all clam areas in Ben Tre.

“It is our pleasure to contribute to the first MSC certification in Vietnam and in Southeast Asia,” said WWF’s Fisheries Officer Nguyen Thi Dieu Thuy. “One of our major tasks is to harmonize economic development with the maintenance of the natural environment. MSC certification of the Ben Tre clam fishery is such a success. Importantly, the Ben Tre fishery can now serve as a model sustainable fishery at both national and regional levels.”

“As the first MSC-certified fishery in Southeast Asia, the Ben Tre clam fishery will play a key role in demonstrating how certification can conserve resources, preserve local communities, and positively impact the bottom line for business – all at the same time,” said Meredith Lopuch, deputy director of the WWF-US Fisheries Program’s Major Buyer Initiative.

The government of Vietnam and the MSC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in May 2005 declaring their joint commitment to encourage sustainable fishing in the country by promoting and facilitating MSC certification. The initial agreement was for three years and renewed in 2008.

“Vietnam was the first nation-state to publicly commit to using MSC certification to promote sustainable fishing,” said Howes. “Today, with the certification of the Vietnamese Ben Tre clam fishery, we are celebrating the first successful MSC certification in South East Asia. This confirms Vietnam’s pioneering role in advancing sustainable fisheries management in the region.”

“I would also very much like to thank WWF for their partnership and support working with the Ben Tre fishery towards MSC certification,” said Howes. “Today, Ben Tre fishery joins ranks with a number of other fisheries that have achieved MSC certification with the support of WWF.”

The MSC recently announced the addition of a Risk Based Framework (RBF) to the MSC Fisheries Assessment Methodology (FAM). The RBF enables fisheries with limited data to undergo assessment to the MSC standard.

The Ben Tre clam fishery was one of the pilot fisheries involved in the testing of the RBF methodology, but was ultimately assessed using the conventional methodology in use at the time.

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Yangtze warned to prepare for more droughts, floods and storms

Posted on 10 November 2009 - • First-ever large-scale report on the Yangtze and climate change adaptation released in Beijing
• Experts recommend taking “no-regrets” adaptation strategies

Beijing, China- Temperatures across the Yangtze River Basin could increase from 1.5 - 2 Degrees Celsius over the next 50 years, while extreme weather events will also become more frequent, according to the largest river basin climate vulnerability assessment yet done.

The Yangtze River Basin Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Report, released today in Beijing, not only describes the impact of climate change but also offers specific adaptation strategies for the Yangtze.

“Extreme climate events such as storms and drought disasters will increase as climate change continues to alter our planet,” said Professor Xu Ming, the report’s lead researcher.

“Given the complexities and uncertainties associated with climate change, adaptation should firstly consider a ‘no-regrets’ strategy,” which does not require additional cost. If we take the right steps now, adaptation measures will pay for themselves.” he said.

Specific adaptation measures discussed in the report include strengthening existing infrastructure, such as power supply, transportation as well as river and coastal dike reinforcement. Other steps involve promoting Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM), switching to more flexible cropping systems, and reducing human impact on fragile ecosystems.

Data collected from 147 monitoring stations across the 1.8 million km2 river basin points to a 0.33? temperature rise during the 11000s. This hotter weather led to a spike in extreme climate events and flooding across the Yangtze basin, a trend that is expected to become increasingly dire over the next 50 years.

Other findings show that from 2001 – 2005, the basin’s climate grew even hotter, increasing by an average of 0.71?.

According to the new report, wetlands will be the hardest hit. Lower water levels will reduce the number of aquatic birds in the Central and Lower Yangtze while climate change strips wetland ecosystems of important resources.

Other impacts that could affect the 400 million people whose livelihoods depend on the basin include more frequent snowstorms and drought.

‘The Yangtze Vulnerability Assessment is an important symbol of China’s commitment to fighting climate change,” said Mr. James Leape, Director General of WWF-International.

“Beyond setting out the vulnerabilities, the Yangtze assessment also underlines how investment in climate change adaptation is a prudent investment in safeguarding the continuing functioning of a landscape vital to many millions”