(vasep.com.vn) In March 2013, shrimp imports into the U.S. continued their trend dropping 5.3 percent year-on-year, leading to an 8 percent reduction in shrimp imports into the market, observed in the first 3 months of 2013 against the same period of 2012.

In the first two months of 2013, fishery and aquaculture product exports in Chile reached a value of USD 844 million.

The National Association of Manufacturers of Canned Fish and Shellfish (Anfaco-Cecopesca) will meet on Tuesday with counterpart associations in Portugal and Azores to analyze the current state of the manufacturing industry of fishing-aquaculture products.

The volume of export-quality or sashimi-grade fresh mature yellowfin tuna landed at this city, the “Tuna Capital of the Philippines,” this year has gone down compared last year.

Farm-raised Bluefin tuna from Mexico is gaining credibility and popularity in Japan for sushi and sashimi, aided by competitive pricing and burgeoning supplies.

(vasep.com.vn) With a population of 30 million people, Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in Asia which has high demand for tropical products, including seafood.

The steep rise in fuel prices caused by the recent depreciation of the yen is dealing a severe blow to Japan's fisheries industry.

Chinese processors are suffering from high labor costs as factories become increasingly "undesirable" places to work.

The total volume of US seafood imports climbed 0.34percent during the first quarter of 2013, while the value of theseimports fell 3.1 percent to $3.9 billion (€3 billion).

Companies say EU-Thailand free trade could hurt canning sector. Spanish processing association Anfaco-Cecopesca on Wed will meet with Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment Miguel Arias Canete to press for trade restrictions on Thai tuna imports, according to finanzas.com.

(vasep.com.vn) Between January and March 2013, Vietnam imported US$133 million of fish for processing. The four main suppliers were Taiwan, Japan, Norway and India, covering 40.3 percent of the total. In the next two quarters of the year, purchase of raw material from outside is predicted to increase by 5 – 7 percent over the compatible period of 2012.

The House Agriculture Committee voted to repeal a controversial catfish inspection program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture late Wednesday night – a sign the program, which was mandated by the 2008 farm bill to help protect U.S. catfish farmers from cheap imports, may be headed for the chopping block.

Skipjack prices at the Bangkok tuna auction hit a record level of $2400 per ton last month, although they have retreated slightly since then.

Next June Honduras could become the newest member of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC).

Thailand is trying to build links and trade pacts with Pacific nations to feed its growing industrial sector, and to ensure the future supply of tuna raw materials to its canneries.