Out of the factory and into the fish pond: Can certification transform vietnamese pangasius?

This chapter examines pangasius catfi sh aquaculture in Vietnam in the context of changing social relations of production, European consumer trends and regulation. In particular we are interested in how the rise of ‘sociotechnical’ environmental regulatory networks in the form of quality standards and third-party certifi cation have altered power relations between consumers and producers across global space (Mol 2002; Spaargaren and Mol 2008). We contend that the success of pangasius illustrates the ‘double-edged’ nature of globalization, and in doing so exposes the wider challenges of sustainability transitions. This success is evident in the average annual growth in production of 30 per cent per year over the last decade, which has been driven largely by the expansion into European white fi sh retail markets. However, penetrating these markets has subjected the fi sh to ever greater regulation, as civil society and industry actors have turned their attention toward food safety and sustainability.