Several supermarket chains in Europe, including Italy, Belgium, Spain, and France banned the sale of pangasius earlier this month, despite the EU insisting there were no health concerns with eating the fish.
European retailer Carrefour maintains that the quality of the fish is "impeccable", but that doubts remain over the environmental credentials of the farms in which they are raised.
The ASC said in a press release Wednesday that it "is sorry to see that a few retailers have decided to halt sales of pangasius." It said that when farmed according to ASC's pangasius standard, buyers and consumers "can have confidence" eating pangasius.
"All ASC certified seafood adhere to strict guidelines to ensure they minimise the negative environmental impacts of farming," the organization said.
"Pangasius farms certified to the ASC standard can only be located in areas approved for aquaculture, and are required to measure various water parameters including nitrogen, phosphorus, and oxygen levels, at regular intervals to ensure they remain within set limits for optimal growing conditions.
"Strict procedures must also be followed to make sure that waste water does not pollute the ecosystem.
"Farms must also adhere to rigorous requirements to minimise disease outbreaks, must not use antibiotics unless truly necessary and then can only do so under the supervision of a veterinarian.
"As with all ASC standards, no antibiotics on the list of the World Health Organizations list of Critically Important Antimicrobials for human health can be used on a farm," it said.
"Because pangasius can be farmed efficiently, with low land use and limited use of feed, and can be produced in a way that respects the environment and communities, we feel there is space for the product in the competitive white fish market," it added.
ASC also noted that certification requires protections of workers' rights by insisting that all farms in the program offer employees contracts in keeping with International Labor Organization regulations.
"The ASC standard is frequently mentioned as the strongest certification on the market. We are dedicated to keeping it that way through consistent review in order to ensure that the standard reflects the best practices in aquaculture," it said.
(Undercurrentnews)
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is facing new opportunities to expand its development space as many localities and businesses begin promoting marine farming models aimed at diversifying farming areas and adapting to climate change. However, for pangasius to truly “go offshore” and develop into a large-scale industry segment, significant challenges related to technology, broodstock, and markets still need to be addressed.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports in April 2026 reached USD 11 million, up 92% compared to the same period in 2025. This strong growth indicates that Vietnamese tilapia products are continuing to penetrate and expand rapidly in international markets. Cumulative export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 49 million, up 151% year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com) At VietShrimp Asia 2026, disease management trends in shrimp farming are shifting strongly from treatment-based approaches toward proactive prevention through environmental and pond ecosystem control.
(vasep.com.vn) After a period of strong growth, with export turnover reaching USD 38 million in Q1/2026 — up 174% year-on-year — the sector’s rapid expansion clearly reflects growing market opportunities.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the ASEAN bloc reached USD 44 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025. After falling to the lowest level of the quarter at USD 9 million in February — reflecting the seasonal slowdown in orders after the festive period — exports recovered strongly to USD 18 million in March, the highest monthly value of the quarter. This development shows that import demand for pangasius in ASEAN remains relatively stable despite short-term fluctuations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 11, 2026, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive comparability finding for Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries, along with those of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With this decision, seafood and seafood products harvested from Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries will continue to be eligible for import into the US market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a slowdown in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Germany showed more positive signs in the first quarter of 2026. However, the recovery remains uncertain as consumer demand in Germany is still cautious, while market competition is increasingly driven by pricing and supply stability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a sharp decline in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel are showing positive signs of recovery in the early months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover to this market grew steadily month by month in Q1/2026, reaching nearly USD 10 million, up 33% compared to the same period in 2025. However, compared to Q1/2024, this level remains significantly lower, indicating that the recovery is still in its early stage following last year’s strong adjustment.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Entering 2026, the U.S. whitefish market has shown complex developments as global cod supply continues to tighten, while the U.S. trade environment becomes less stable. In this context, the U.S. market has had to become more flexible in sourcing alternative whitefish. However, relying heavily on Alaska pollock is not a long-term solution, as it is a strictly managed fishery with quotas and sustainability regulations, limiting any rapid increase in output to offset cod shortages.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Aquaculture, capture fisheries, and seed production activities in Lam Dong in the early months of 2026 continued to show positive signs, with both output and farming area slightly increasing compared to the same period, contributing to maintaining overall industry stability.
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