In late August and early September 2001, several shrimp lots of Vietnam exported to EU were detected to be infected with chloramphenicol, thus leading to a situation that the Europe Commission issued Decision No. 2001/699/EC of September 19, 2001, requesting EU member countries to force the chemical inspection of all shrimp lots exported or originated from Vietnam, and to quickly inform the inspection results to all EU member countries.

In order to maintain export tempo, protect the prestige of Vietnam�s aquatic products on the world market, and avoid bad consequences which may occur in the exportation thereof to the EU market, the Minister of Aquatic Resources instructs:

1. To absolutely prohibit the use of chloramphenicol in the whole process of producing aquatic breeds, rearing aquatic animals, preliminary processing, preserving and processing aquatic products. The use of other antibiotics in aquaculture shall have to strictly comply with regulations of the Ministry of Aquatic Resources.

2. For the Aquatic Product Quality and Hygiene Supervision Control Center:

a) To implement in October 2001 the enhanced inspection plan, covering:

- Taking samples for the enhanced inspection of the norms of chemicals and veterinary drugs, especially chloramphenicol, in aquatic farming areas, focusing on semi-intensive and intensive farming areas and areas affected with epidemics;

- Coordinating with local inspection agencies in further inspecting the use of chemicals and veterinary drugs, especially chloramphenicol, in the preservation and preliminary processing of aquatic products on fishing boats and raw-material shrimp-collecting, preserving and transporting agents.

- Enhancing the inspection at the stage of receiving raw material shrimps reared at aquatic product-processing enterprises, taking samples of used water resources in order to test chloramphenicol residue, controlling the use of preservative chemicals as well as cleansing and disinfecting chemicals containing chloramphenicol (for example: hand lotion or preparations for processing workers).

- Widely publicizing the results of such inspection to processing enterprises, provincial/municipal Aquatic Resources Services and aquacultural farms.

b) To coordinate with the Central Fishery Promotion Center in organizing refreshing courses on the use of veterinary drugs, chemicals and biological preparations in aquaculture for fishermen.

c) To send mails to the European Union�s Com-mission to notify the latter of activities carried out to enhance the inspection of residues of toxic chemicals, including chloramphenicol, in Vietnamese aquatic products, and request the EU to notify Vietnam of the testing methods and equipment applied uniformly in the EU and countries exporting aquatic products to the EU.

d) To make sum-up report to the Ministry of Aquatic Resources before October 30, 2001.

e) Funding for the implementation of inspection activities shall be provided as support from the source of funding for science and technology.

3. The provincial/municipal Aquatic Resource Ser-vices and Agriculture and Rural Development Services involved in the management of aquatic products:

a) To disseminate this Directive to breeding farms and farming ponds� owners, aquatic raw materials-gathering agents and aquatic product-processing establishments, and coordinate with the latter in inspecting the implementation thereof. To remind these subjects not to use chloramphenicol in the production of aquatic goods. For cases where other antibiotics have been used to prevent or treat ailments for aquatic animals, it must be ensured that these antibiotics are suspended from use at least four weeks before harvest.

b) To direct local inspection agencies and local Fishery Promotion Centers to assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the Aquatic Product Quality and Hygiene Control Center and its branches in performing jobs stated at Item a, Point 2.

4. For enterprises processing aquatic products to be exported to the EU: To bear responsibility for the quality, hygiene and safety of their products, concretely as follows:

a) To ensure that all lots of raw materials are bought from areas where harvest is permitted according to monthly reports by the Aquatic Product Quality and Hygiene Control Center on the inspection of residue of toxic chemicals in aquatic animals reared for export processing.

b) During the process of receiving raw materials, to strictly control their quality, safety and hygiene, especially those of shrimp lots originated from areas affected with epidemics. In this period, enterprises shall have to regularly send samples of raw materials to Branch IV of the Aquatic Product Quality and Hygiene Control Center for the latter to test the residue of antibiotics and chloramphenicol.

c) To strictly prohibit the use of cleansing and disinfecting chemicals containing chloramphenicol (for example: assorted hand lotions or skin medicines for use by workers in working time).

5. For the Aquatic Resources Protection Department:

a) To assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the Aquatic Product Quality and Hygiene Control Center and the Ministry�s Department for Science and Technology in studying documents issued by CODEX, EU, the US and other countries, as well as those issued by Vietnamese ministries and branches, so as to propose the Ministry to promulgate the lists of veterinary drugs, chemicals and biological preparations allowed for use/allowed for restricted use/ banned from use in aquaculture, post-harvest preservation of raw materials, and processing of aquatic products.

b) To assume the prime responsibility in inspecting the implementation of this Directive by aquatic breeding establishments.

c) To coordinate with the Aquatic Product Quality and Hygiene Control Center, the provincial/municipal Aquatic Resources Services and Agriculture and Rural Development Services involved in the management of aquatic products, Sub-Departments for Protection of Aquatic Resources and local Fishery Promotion Centers in implementing the contents mentioned in Item a of Point 2.

6. For the Central Fishery Promotion Center

To assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the Aquatic Product Quality and Hygiene Control Center and the Aquatic Resources Protection Department in organizing refreshing courses on the stipulations on the use of veterinary drugs, chemicals and biological preparations in aquaculture for aquatic farmers.

The heads of the units shall have to organize the implementation and inspect and observance of this Directive.

For the Minister of Aquatic Resources
Vice Minister
NGUYEN THI HONG MINH