If you had told me a few years ago that I’d be discussing the safety of fish disposal systems at a huge fish community in Vietnam, I would have said – “Yeah, right”. But that’s exactly where I found myself – conducting a Human Rights and Environmental Impact Assessment (HREIA) on the pangasius fisheries and factories. The trip was a great example of why impact assessments bare such an important role in sustainability due diligence. They give us deeper insights by ensuring affected stakeholders are heard and provide outlines for concrete steps that can genuinely improve their situation.
Visiting a community member living on an island next to a fish farm.
Fish of the changing Mekong Delta
For the unfamiliar, pangasius is the freshwater fish that has taken over global seafood markets. It is a major export for Vietnam – and a livelihood for thousands. Pangasius is also one of the most farmed fish species in the world. Since the early 2000s, the industry has shifted from small-scale farming to large-scale commercial farms, reshaping the economic structure of the Mekong Delta.
The economy but also the nature of the Mekong Delta has seen rapid changes. Upstream damming, climate change, and rising sea levels are altering the delicate balance of the waters. These shifts also deepen socio-economic consequences, for example forcing many small-scale rice farmers to adapt or abandon their livelihoods altogether. Therefore, the pangasius industry, so deeply intertwined with these waters, needs to have sustainability at its core.
The Catch: some findings of the HREIA
One of the key findings that we were very pleased about was that a steady order flow contributes to reliable employment and income, and that excessive overtime was absent.
However, a worrying aspect was the mandatory union membership. Workers had around 10% of their wages deducted for union dues, but this did not guarantee that their voices were heard. Many union representatives were supervisors, and workers’ benefits were pretty much limited to receiving treats during Lunar New Year rather than real collective bargaining power. Therefore, understanding Freedom of Association (FoA) statistics in different countries always requires careful analysis. If there is only one official, state-led union, it does not ensure real worker representation or protection.
Maybe we were able to plant a seed to break the barriers. The companies as well as the workers who were interviewed did not oppose reconsidering the idea that being a union representative would always require top-tier education. This is a good thought to let grow.
The hook of the trip
So, what’s the takeaway? For businesses, proper Sustainability Due Diligence is always the key for real understanding of complex issues. Audits and certifications help, but real change comes from engaging directly not only with suppliers but also with workers, understanding the challenges on the ground, and investing in long-term solutions.
And for consumers? Well, next time you see pangasius on the menu, think beyond the fillet. Support brands that prioritize ethical sourcing (ASC and GlobalGAP), and remember that there is a whole ecosystem of people working to bring it on your plate.
P.S. All the farms and factories we visited were ASC certified, and it showed! Certifications do have an important role in ensuring better ways of working.
At a factory
Pangasius are fed at least twice a day.
Text by Tuuli Numminen, Enact.