As pressure on national governments to guarantee product quality increases [5], adopting standards for particular fisheries species “may become less about gaining a competitive edge and more about simply remaining in the marketplace” [66,361]. Maintaining a presence in specific markets may present a challenge for Vietnam, particularly when exporting to countries with more stringent import standards. The various scandals that have plagued the country׳s fisheries sector of late further contribute to the challenge. Certification, in such cases, can reassure seafood buyers of responsible production, particularly in mitigating against negative social and environmental

impacts such as water pollution, the spread of disease [20] or product tampering and contamination. Pangasius certification, which only Selleck MK 2206 began with ASC in 2012, is an example of a Vietnamese fisheries commodity that has seen tremendous uptake in certification. The ASC logo first appeared in the Netherlands in 2012 and is now found throughout Europe [67]. Pangasius production, however, is very different from shrimp production in terms of farmers׳ access to capital, production intensity [5], or the ability (and interest) to engage in complex certification

processes.. Certification schemes operating DZNeP order in Vietnam are less suitable for small producers (shrimp or other species). The evaluation presented here suggests that certification benefits larger producers or companies rather than small producers because of the demands associated with written documentation, technical requirements (equipment, waste-water treatment,

feed, pond size and depth) and fees. The vast majority of small producers are unlikely to change production practices with the introduction of certification schemes because they are unable to meet basic certification thresholds [13]. However, fish farming practices can become more sustainable at the small producer level. Fish farming in Vietnam, in the near term at least, will likely continue to be both small producer Atazanavir and export driven. Sustainability is an issue throughout the sector, and consideration of small producers is necessary to ensure more sustainable aquaculture practices. Small producer certification will require a greater understanding of the species cultivated by small producers, including the social and environmental impacts of both monoculture and polyculture, to effectively target certification and aquaculture governance more generally. As aptly noted by Belton and Bush [68], the ‘everyday׳ practices of small producer fish farmers and local consumption habits have long been neglected. Without an understanding of these realities, certification schemes are unlikely to move beyond niche markets, nor are they likely to be adopted by many fish farmers in the global South.