The West and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) approved the lifting of the purse seine fishing ban in pockets 1 and 2 of the Pacific Ocean until February 2013. Still, WCPFC does not think this will make a big difference to the Philippines.
“The Philippines can fish in high sea pocket 1 only and any reporting in the press otherwise is wrong,” said Glenn Hurry, executive director of the WCPFC, Asian Correspondent reports.
However, no Philippine fishing firm has thus far sent off its vessels to pockets 1 and 2 of the Pacific Ocean pending the publication of the fisheries administrative order on the matter, which should be finished within the month, said Ambutong K Pautong, BFAR Region 12 acting director, Business World reports.
The country produces over 2 million tonnes of tuna per year. In 2011, frozen tuna landings dropped by about 19 per cent in General Santos City to about 110,000 tonnes in 2011 from roughly 150,000 tonnes in 2010 and earlier.
Secretary Luwalhati R Antonino, chairwoman of the Mindanao Development Authority, said that while the country has been granted access, "efforts must also be exerted to prevent abuse."
Last week, BFAR and tuna industry players held a meeting to discuss how Philippine fishing companies should benefit from the newly granted limited fishing access to the Pacific.
"Thirty-six Philippine fishing vessels have now been given limited access to the tuna fishing ground -- but Philippine vessel deployment will not take place until after September, as the WCPFC will close that part of the Pacific Ocean for three months starting in July as part of a yearly conservation measure, Pautong noted.
He had said that canneries in the city have been producing less due to lower catches supposedly attributed to the two-year fishing ban.
Pautong said the proposed guidelines, which will be set in consultation with the private sector-led Tuna Council of the Philippines, include assigning a specific catching ground to the fishing companies, which have agreed to impose high penalties on violators.
"We must live up to the expectations of WCPFC. We must satisfactorily comply with the provisions of the Conservation and Management Measure if we want to continue fishing in pockets 1 and 2 beyond 2013," said Asis G Perez, BFAR national director.
Tuna remains one of Mindanao’s top exports, with a combined value of USD 311 million in 2010.
The WCPFC banned commercial fishing in pockets 1 and 2 of the high seas in 2008 to mitigate overfishing of bigeye and yellowfin tuna. The ban took effect in 2010
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The “Moringa Noodles Salad” product by Sa Giang Import-Export Corporation was honored as one of the “Top 10 Winning Products” at the THAIFEX – Anuga taste Innovation Show 2026, held as part of THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2026 in Bangkok.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a fairly strong upward trend in 2025, Vietnam’s clam exports entered 2026 with a mixed picture: strong growth at the beginning of the year, followed by a slowdown from March onward. According to Vietnam Customs data, Vietnam’s clam export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached more than USD 38 million, up 2% compared to the same period in 2025.
(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.
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