In addition to this show of support from the central government, Dr. Leung, head of Hong Kong’s Aquaculture, Fisheries and Conservation department also spoke.
Zhao said that China had been practicing Aquaculture since the 11th century BC, and that in 1980, when Deng Xiaoping launched China’s economic reform campaign, the government made a conscious decision to focus on building up aquaculture over wild-capture fisheries. Under this policy, China produced 5.88 million tons of farmed fish and seafood products in 1988, and this has grown to 15.5 million tons in 2011. Out of this 3.9 million tons is exported. China, according to the FAO, is the only country with a significant wild-capture fishery that produces an even greater quantity from aquaculture.
"We have no choice but to develop the seafood industry in a sustainable way, providing sufficient aquatic products for human beings while striking a balance among population, natural resources and environment," said Zhao.
"China is willing to learn from the other countries’ new solutions to seafood development. We are committed to making new and greater contributions to the sustainability of global seafood market through aquaculture and industrialization," said Zhao.
Other participants at the conference noted that other countries have used quota management to reduce overfishing. China is not taking that path, as the structure of the industry with hundreds of thousands of fishermen and vessels, makes such an effort too unwieldy. Instead, the Chinese government is reducing fishing pressure by introducing a licensing scheme to limit the number and power of fishing vessels; to impose fishing bans and moratoriums, to reduce the overall level of harvests, and to provide incentives for fishermen to switch to other work.
How the Western model of sustainability might work or not work in China has been the overriding theme of the conference. As one Chinese expert put it, China has been successfully farming tilapia for over 2000 years, and so they are not going to be told by outsiders how to make it sustainable, but instead will build on their own traditions.
In the west, the retail model using market incentives, with heavy outside financing from NGO’s, has created strong retailer demand for sustainable seafood, most of which involves 3rd party certification by the MSC, GAA or other scheme.
At a press conference, High Liner CEO Henry Demone, Sea Web President Dawn Martin, and Sustainable Fisheries Partnership CEO Jim Cannon discussed how the Western Model might be applied.
First, all agreed that Asian societies had their own unique cultural approaches to fish and seafood, and that sustainability would have to be achieved in harmony with cultural values.
Jim Cannon described the process as ‘creating win-win’ solutions in individual fisheries, so that the economic or political incentives aligned to benefit all participants. He did not see much difference between North America, Europe and China. Certainly Europe has been as guilty of overfishing and disregarding sustainability a any society on the planet.
He said 'each culture places different values on different aspects of sustainability. For example Japan values assured supply and legality, and it is harder to work on just environmental issues. But in Germany, environmental issues are very important. The key is to find the most important angle to create win wins.”
In China certainly people are beginning to think about environmental issues and sustainability issues and to make progress.
There is a very strong food security argument that is important to the Chinese leadership, and this may be a key entry point in taking action to preserve stocks, and manage aquaculture sustainably. Fish protein is a hugely significant animal protein in the region, and security is an important piece of that.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Japan continues to be one of Vietnam’s most important and stable shrimp markets. In recent years, shrimp exports to this market have fluctuated in line with Japan’s broader economic and consumption cycles, yet Japan remains a major, high-value destination with stringent standards.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain increased by 13% compared to 2024. This growth trend has continued into the first two months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover to this market reached nearly USD 3 million in January–February 2026, up 101% year-on-year and significantly higher than the same period in 2024. This development indicates that Spain is once again becoming a notable destination for Vietnamese tuna amid strong demand for tuna raw materials and products in Europe.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The 2026 brackish water shrimp farming season in the Mekong Delta has started earlier than usual, mainly driven by positive market signals, as shrimp prices in 2025 remained high and supply was limited. Many enterprises and farms in Cần Thơ, Cà Mau, and Vĩnh Long have proactively stocked early to seize opportunities. By early 2026, stocking areas in many localities had reached a high proportion of planned targets, with intensive and high-tech farming models expanding rapidly.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States recorded remarkable growth in 2025, opening up major opportunities while also presenting considerable challenges. The U.S. remains the largest importer of Vietnamese tilapia fillets, with export turnover reaching USD 40 million—an increase of up to 499% compared to 2024. This impressive growth reflects strong demand in the U.S. market, as supply from competing countries such as China has been constrained by tariffs and rising production costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains a strategic export commodity in Vietnam’s seafood sector. Entering 2026, the industry faces a strong need to transition from volume-based growth to a value-driven development model, with a focus on quality, food safety, and sustainability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following damage caused by Storm No. 13 in late 2025, brackish water shrimp farming in Gia Lai is being rapidly restored. In key farming areas such as Tuy Phước and Tuy Phước Đông, farmers are focusing on rehabilitating ponds, repairing infrastructure, and treating the environment in preparation for the 2026 crop.
(seafood.vasep.com) Facing the decline in fishery resources, Vietnam is accelerating livelihood transitions for fishermen to reduce fishing pressure and move toward sustainable development. Marine fish stocks have dropped significantly from 4.82 million tons in 2000–2005 to 3.95 million tons in 2016–2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
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