Efforts to curb overfishing of tuna in the Pacific were blocked by big countries that refused to cut their catch at a meeting of tuna-fishing nations in the Asia-Pacific, reported AFP.
The Western and Central Pacific Commission (WCPFC), comprising 30 member nations and territories, ended a five-day meeting in
However
“The big fishing nations did not make any significant commitments to cut their overfishing of bigeye tuna. It is the big fishing nations... that have historically overfished bigeyetuna,” she said in a statement.
Malsol, who also chairs the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), a coalition of small Pacific island nations, blamed the European Union, the
Only
Garry Leape, head of the delegation of the US-basedPew Environment Group, said he welcomed some measures taken at the Philippine meeting.
This included an agreement to extend to four months, a three-month annual ban on the use of “fish aggregating devices”FADS, floating devices that lure fish, making it easier for boats to haul them in.
The commission also agreed on a measure to avoid catching whale sharks in tuna nets. But Leape said thecountry delegations were only interested in protecting their individual interests rather than working togetherto prevent the depletion of tuna stocks.
“It seems inevitable that, given these management decisions, we will again sit down and discuss an overfished stock in an even worse state than today,” he said in a statement.
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) has voted to allow an extension of the conservation and management measures for tropical tuna fishing in the Philippines originally adopted in March of this year, according to a statement released by the Philippine government today.
Initially, the WCPFC approved the measures, to be in effect from October 2012 to 28 February 2013. Now, the extension means 36 fishing vessels will be able to keep fishing until February of 2015.
“If in the last meeting we were able to bring home the tuna; this year, the
According to the release, Philippine tuna production went down by at least 70,000 metric tons over the past three years due to the closure of tuna fishing by the WCPFC. Officials hope the extension will bring fishing back up to 2008 levels.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the latest statistics for January 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius export value to major market blocs recorded encouraging growth compared with the same period last year, indicating that consumption demand is gradually recovering.
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