The visit to the farm, located at Lake Temengor in the state of Perak, was organised by WWF-Malaysia as part of the Asia-wide Sustainable Seafood Festival (SSF). Fifteen Malaysian seafood retailers, distributors, restaurant owners and chefs learnt about Trapia’s sustainable farming practices and gained a better understanding of responsible fish farming.
Chris Ninnes, ASC’s CEO applauded the initiative: “It’s great to hear about WWF-Malaysia taking the lead in introducing responsible tilapia aquaculture to their stakeholders. It is paramount to engage with the market at a grass root level and encourage the supply chain to commit to responsible seafood sourcing.
“Trapia is the first farm in Malaysia to gain certification against ASC’s rigorous Tilapia Standard. They are a clear example of how a focus on environmental stewardship and social responsibility is recognised and rewarded through the ASC certification programme.”
Alejandro Tola Alvarez, Chief Technical Officer, GenoMar AS explains how ASC certification fits into Trapia Malaysia’s sustainability strategy: “We want to be with the best in the industry and show our stakeholders that we are a responsible organisation.”
“ASC certification provides additional assurance and trust to our shareholders. A positive aspect of the ASC standard is that it brings a stronger multi-stakeholder perspective in the company’s decision making processes which at the end becomes just ‘the way you think.”
Sustainable Seafood Festival in Asia
The Sustainable Seafood Festival is a new initiative introduced by WWF and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). This year’s campaign ran from 8 to 15 June across four different countries in the region: Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Tied with the World Oceans Day, the goal of the week-long festival is to encourage responsible seafood consumption by empowering suppliers, retailers, restaurants and consumers to choose responsibly produced seafood. The campaign aims to drive sustainability throughout the entire seafood supply chain.
Other SSF initiatives included the successful Japanese ASC pangasius launch organised by AEON, Japan’s largest retailer, and WWF-Japan in Tokyo on 5 June. And, WWF-Canada honoured the lead up to World Oceans Day on 4 June by organising a sampling of ASC certified responsibly farmed tilapia with the support of Loblaws.
Certification and labelling programme for responsible aquaculture
Since the launch of the ASC logo in April 2012, the ASC programme has developed in the Asian region. There are now ASC approved products across China, Hong Kong, Japan, Republic of South Korea, and Taiwan. Japan leads the way with more than 60 approved ASC certified products, with four being consumer-facing products available in AEON stores.
Products carrying the ASC logo can be traced to a responsibly managed farm through the supply chain. Companies are assessed against strict requirements before they can become ASC Chain of custody certified.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports maintained a strong recovery in the first five months of 2026, reaching more than USD 302 million, up 17% compared to the same period in 2025. Growth was primarily driven by Asian markets, including South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and China, while exports to the United States and the European Union continued to face headwinds from cautious consumer demand and increasingly stringent compliance requirements.
Vietnamese seafood giant Minh Phu Group has inaugurated a VND1.5 trillion (US$57.4 million) seafood processing plant in Ca Mau Province.
(vasep.com.vn) From 19–21 August 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition (Vietfish 2026) will take place at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Under the theme "Innovation – Sustainability", Vietfish 2026 continues to serve as Vietnam's flagship annual seafood event, bringing together seafood producers, exporters, importers, buyers, industry experts, government agencies, and stakeholders from across the domestic and global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in May 2026, reaching USD 14 million, up 18% compared with the same month last year. Cumulative export value for the first five months of 2026 totaled USD 62 million, representing a remarkable 101% increase over the same period in 2025, highlighting the sector’s strong recovery in international markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 367 million in the first five months of 2026, down 7% compared to the same period in 2025. While the decline is not yet severe, the more concerning issue is that pressure is mounting in key markets such as the United States and the European Union, just as ocean freight rates are rising sharply on long-haul routes. The current situation is therefore not merely about slower orders, but rather a clear restructuring phase for Vietnam’s tuna industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2026 marks a period of strong growth for Vietnam’s tilapia industry, but it is also a time when international export competition is becoming increasingly intense. Vietnam’s tilapia exports reached USD 99 million in 2025, up 140% compared to the previous year. In the first four months of 2026 alone, export value reached USD 49 million, a 151% increase year-on-year. As global demand for affordable whitefish continues to rise, Vietnam is emerging as a noteworthy competitor to traditional tilapia powerhouses such as China, Indonesia, Brazil, and Egypt.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With continued policy support, technological innovation and close coordination among authorities, businesses and farmers, Vietnam’s pangasius industry is expected to make a strong and sustainable breakthrough during the 2026–2030 period, reinforcing its position as the world’s leading exporter of the fish.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the first four months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to Asian markets showed varying trends across regions and countries. The Middle East recorded strong growth, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the largest Asian market for Vietnamese tilapia. ASEAN markets also expanded significantly, driven primarily by Malaysia. Meanwhile, Japan maintained solid growth, while exports to South Korea declined compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Shrimp and pangasius continued to lead growth, helping seafood exports reach $4.67 billion in the first five months of the year; however, differentiation among product groups and increasingly stringent requirements from importing markets are posing many challenges for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Every day, the seafood processing industry in Ca Mau generates large quantities of shrimp heads and shells during processing operations. In the past, these by-products were largely treated as waste, increasing production costs and posing potential environmental risks. However, thanks to advanced processing technologies, materials once considered waste are now being transformed into high-value products, creating a circular economy model within the seafood industry.
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