This was the second time that Asian Pacific Chapter of World Aquaculture Society (WAS-APC) held the Asia-Pacific Aquaculture Conference in the Southeastern Asia, and it was the first conference in Vietnam. This meaningful event offered opportunities for the international aquaculture community to see the rapidly expanding fishery industry of Vietnam (nearly 50 percent increase in the last five years in farming area and over 100 percent in production volume for the last 16 years). The conference this year aimed to deliver a strong message that the world aquaculture needed a strategic approach towards sustainable development in the future.
In his welcome speech, Cao Duc Phat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development highlighted that, since 2010, among the world key fish producing countries, there have been 8 in the Asia-Pacific region. Vietnam ranked third in Asia-Pacific and was in the top ten seafood exporters of the world. These recent years, the fishery industry has been considered as the key business sector in Vietnam.
“This conference with key issues on diseases, environment protection, feed, farming technologies, industry restructuring is a place for Vietnam to share and learn experiences from other countries in the region and beyond,” Mr. Phat added.
There were 1,800 participants to the seminars of APA2013 and more than 170 Vietnamese and foreign companies displaying at the trade show. Attendees heard 50 reports and presentations by scientists and experts from governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations in research, training and trading fields from over 70 countries and territories in the world.
The conference was co-organized by MARD and WAS-APC in cooperation with Research Institute of Agriculture No.2 (RIAII), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), and Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). Uni-President and Biomin were two major sponsors of the conference.
Vietnam – The world third fish producing country
The Asia-Pacific region is the largest fish and aquatic species aquaculture center in the world, according to reports presented in APA-2013.
In 2010, Asia-Pacific farmed fish and aquatic species reached 53.1 million MT, making up of 89 percent of global aquaculture in terms of volume and 80 percent in terms of value.
In Vietnam, aquatic farming was 3.27 million MT in 2012, representing 55.2 percent of annual fishery production, up 7.2 percent against that of 2011 and 287.4 percent against that of 10 years ago, when shrimp output was 488,000 MT and pangasius 1.2 million MT.
Vietnam has ranked the third among fishery producers and has been in the top ten seafood exporters in the world.
So far, per capita seafood consumption in Asia-Pacific is around 29 kilogram per year, equal to a total volume of 116 million MT per year. By 2020, demands from the region is expected to increase to 16 – 20 million MT annually. The figure will reach 25 million MT by 2030. The main trend is to boost farming activities, rather than wild-fish catches, to serve rising demand. Therefore, the aquaculture sector will be the priority of Asia-Pacific countries in the future.
(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.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) – On March 19, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a meeting with the European Commission (EC) inspection delegation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, led by Mr. Fernando Andresen Guimaraes, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).
(vasep.com.vn) Australia is emerging as one of the most stable and promising growth markets for Vietnamese shrimp. Amid global trade disruptions driven by geopolitical tensions—particularly conflicts in the Middle East—strengthening and expanding into stable markets like Australia has become increasingly important for Vietnam’s shrimp industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports reached over USD 111 million, up 23% compared to the same period in 2025. This result indicates a positive start for the sector, reflecting early signs of demand recovery in multiple markets from the beginning of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s fisheries sector maintained positive growth momentum, with shrimp output exceeding 132 thousand tons. This result contributed to a strong increase in seafood export turnover, despite ongoing volatility in the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in February 2026, with many markets recording sharp increases compared to the same period last year. In February alone, export value reached USD 8.4 million, up 148% year-on-year. Cumulatively, in the first two months of 2026, total tilapia export turnover hit USD 23 million, soaring 242% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In global seafood trade, sensory evaluation is increasingly becoming one of the key “technical barriers” in many importing markets-especially the United States. Issues such as filth, and signs of decomposition/spoilage are often detected through sensory evaluation methods and remain common reasons for seafood import alerts, detentions, or shipment rejections.
Shrimp has been the most important export product of Vietnam’s seafood industry for many years, typically accounting for 35–45% of the country’s total seafood export value. With a well-developed farming, processing, and export system, Vietnam has become one of the world’s leading shrimp exporters.
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