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) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
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Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
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