The Council said the final two standards, shrimp and seriola/cobia, are making good progress. The Shrimp Audit Manual is currently being finalized and will be forwarded to the Technical Working Group (TAG) for approval in the coming month. The Shrimp Standard and draft Audit Manual are expected to be handed over to the ASC in October/November 2013.
Meanwhile, the second and final public comment period for the Seriola and Cobia Standard is now open and will close on 19 October 2013.
Additionally, the TAG is now reviewing the audit manuals for the bivalves and abalone standards. The audit manual for freshwater trout standard is in its final review and is expected to be sent for approval in a matter of weeks. All three documents are anticipated to be approved in the next couple of months. The three standards have had successful pilot audits worldwide to ensure robust application in practice the Council said.
The additional standards follow the Councils' Global Salmon Initiative’s (GSI) announcement in August 2013 that it has chosen ASC as their guiding standard.
“It took us a long time to get the salmon standard right and in it we have set some challenging targets, and asked some of the hardest questions, but these were needed to ensure it was robust. The standard was developed with industry for industry, and is set at a level where only 15 per cent of companies could currently meet its best practice requirements. This means there is a lot of work to do before all the farms can be independently certified to ASC standard, and the firm commitment of GSI members to achieve this is a vital factor in making it happen.” says Chris Ninnes, ASC’s CEO.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) While Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU maintained positive growth momentum in 2025, several new regulations related to animal welfare are transitioning from “ethical recommendations” to mandatory requirements, likely reshaping the shrimp supply chain for this market from 2026 onwards.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached $989.5 million in November 2025, up 64.6% year-on-year. The robust monthly performance played a pivotal role in driving the total export turnover for the first 11 months of 2025 to $10.5 billion, representing a 19% increase compared with the same period in 2024.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s crab exports reached USD 81 million in the first 11 months of 2025, with the United States accounting for more than 82% of total value. While newly imposed reciprocal tariffs and the enforcement of provisions under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) pose significant challenges for Vietnam, the European Union is emerging as a promising growth market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Ca Mau Department of Agriculture and Environment has recently issued a plan to develop specialized crab raw material zones serving official export channels, covering a scale of around 50,000 hectares. This marks a significant shift in the sea crab industry towards professional production aligned with market requirements.
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