Vietnam: What are bivalve mollusks?

According to Circular No. 33/2015/TT-BNNPTNT of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, bivalve mollusks means species of mollusks that have calcareous shells in common and all are filter feeders including coelenterates, echinoderms and marine gastropods.

Besides, Circular No. 33/2015/TT-BNNPTNT also stipulates principles, content and foundations for developing the program for monitoring food hygiene and safety in harvests of bivalve mollusk as follows:

Principles: Monitoring Program is deployed in harvested areas must meet following conditions:

- Harvested areas must have organizations (teams, cooperatives) or individuals to ensure activities of harvesting bivalve mollusks.

- Harvested areas must be located within the planning area for growing or exploiting aquatic resources by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and localities.

Content:

- Establish plans for developing Monitoring Program. 

- Organization of implementation of Monitoring Program includes sampling and testing, notifications of harvesting and post-harvest handling mode, harvesting control, issuance of Certificate of Origin or harvesting control notes, handling of warnings, classification of harvested areas, control on bivalve mollusks outside classified areas.

- Verification of implementation of Monitoring Program.

Foundations for developing the Monitoring Program include Vietnam’s national technical regulations on seafood safety. Exported bivalve mollusks must not only satisfy regulatory requirements of Vietnam but also requirements of exporting countries or provisions set out in International Agreement of which Vietnam is a signatory.

View more details at Circular No. 33/2015/TT-BNNPTNT of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, effective from December 10, 2015.

Le Hai

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