To that end, ASMI has earmarked about half of its annual budget, some $8.5 million, on a cross section of activities ranging from international trade shows to studying traditional and emerging markets in some 17 countries, and educating wholesale and retail buyers about the value of its responsible fisheries management certification program for Alaska fisheries.
While Japan is still the single biggest direct market for wild Alaska seafood, ASMI is trying to balance the effort in Europe with effort in China and Japan and an emerging market in Brazil for a nice market mix, says Ray Ruitta, executive director of ASMI.
ASMI has also been meeting with major retail chains, non-government organizations and others to explain to them in detail how ASMI's choice of Global Trust as the certifying body for sustainability of Alaska seafoods works to assure the sustainably managed fisheries mandated by Alaska's constitution.
“We have a good product to sell and I think we're doing a good job selling it,” said Jeff Stephan, director of the United Fishermen's Marketing Association in Kodiak, and chairman of ASMI's international marketing committee. “One of the great achievements of our program is we do a great evaluation of customs, traditions, consumption behavior, eating preferences, all the different characteristics of these countries, and to tailor our program to meet their needs.”
To reach that goal requires a lot of research, and good support from ASMI's overseas marketing representatives, who live and travel in these countries, and maintain steady communications with ASMI's staff in Alaska and Seattle.
Stephan gives much credit for the success of the international marketing program to the committee itself, whose membership includes sales and marketing representatives from various seafood processors doing business in Alaska. Much credit also goes to Joe Jacobson, international program director for ASMI, the ASMI board of directors, state agencies, and the importers, distributors and processors whom ASMI works with.
At the international marketing committee's meeting in Anchorage on June 27, the committee heard from several of their international representatives living in Japan, France and Brazil, who discussed events of the past few months, from trade shows and trade missions to advertising promotions and meetings with potential buyers.
“Every market, every country we are in has a different set of circumstances, different consumer preferences, different marketing and sales traditions, different consumption traditions, different economic factors, and we have programs that are very adroitly tailored to meet the needs of what our mission is in these countries,” Stephan said.
“All of these markets have distinct needs. We are trying to fit our product into the traditional buying habits and product usage. Our goal is to increase the value of Alaska seafood in these markets,” he said.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States (1995–2025). In parallel with the nation's progress in international economic integration, bilateral seafood trade has followed a remarkably impressive growth trajectory, expanding from an initial scale of just tens of millions of US dollars to nearly $2 billion annually. This growth has positioned the United States as Vietnam’s largest seafood export market for many consecutive years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 12, 2025, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Processing and Export (VASEP) issued document 231/CV-VASEP regarding strengthening measures to combat IUU fishing and working with the Government to lift the EC's IUU yellow card warning.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is easy to farm and provides high economic and nutritional value, making it a sought-after export commodity in many countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in the first 10 months of 2025 recorded significant progress, reaching more than USD 9.5 billion, up 15% year-on-year. This result reflects the sector’s persistent efforts amid a highly volatile market, especially policy shocks from the US Although signs of slowdown emerged in the third quarter due to countervailing taxes, key product groups still maintained strong momentum and created a foundation for full-year exports to reach USD 11 billion.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s agreement with the United States on a framework for reciprocal, fair, and balanced trade—reached during the 2025 ASEAN Summit in Malaysia—has generated strong optimism for Vietnamese exports, including tuna. Numerous positive points in the joint statement have raised high expectations for Vietnamese export goods, but turning these expectations into tangible benefits remains a long and challenging journey.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the conference on “Linking the Production and Consumption Chain of Ca Mau Crab 2025,” Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee Lê Văn Sử posed a central question: how to shift the province’s crab exports toward official trade channels, instead of relying heavily on small-scale border trade with China as currently practiced.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The whitefish market in Japan is showing a clear divergence among supplying countries, in which Vietnam continues to affirm its role as a stable and high-potential exporter. Vietnam currently ranks third after the US and Russia in whitefish export value to Japan. Thanks to tariff incentives and the ability to meet Japan’s strict standards, Vietnamese pangasius continues to record a stable and positive growth trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The People's Committee of Ca Mau Province has just issued a plan to expand the super-intensive, low-water-exchange, biosecure white-leg shrimp farming model (RAS-IMTA) for whiteleg shrimp farming to a scale of 1,500 hectares, aiming to develop high-tech, sustainable and environmentally friendly shrimp farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company (HNX: SGC) plans to issue over 7.1 million shares to raise nearly 465 Billion VND for Hoan Ngoc M&A Deal.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Rabobank, global tilapia production is forecast to exceed 7 million tons in 2025, driven by a strong recovery in major producing countries including China, Indonesia, Egypt, Bangladesh and Vietnam. Among them, Vietnam is emerging as a potential tilapia supplier in the global supply chain, capitalizing on market fluctuations to expand production and exports.
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