Recently, Ca Mau has drastically implemented key solutions, mobilizing the entire political system - particularly at the grassroots level - to strengthen territorial management, enhance communication and promptly prevent fishing vessels from infringing upon foreign waters.
According to Mr. Pham Van Muoi, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the Department proactively advised the Provincial People’s Committee to issue multiple steering documents and specific action plans. It also organized inspections and supervision of implementation in coastal localities. All 19 tasks assigned by the Prime Minister and the National Steering Committee on IUU were fully implemented on schedule with no delays.
The province’s anti-IUU efforts have seen a clear, comprehensive, and practical transformation. Completing all central-level mandates, strictly managing the fleet, effectively controlling fishing activities, and severely penalizing violations have created a firm premise to move toward removing the EC's "yellow card."
One of the most prominent achievements of Ca Mau’s anti-IUU campaign in 2025 is the legal regularization of its fishing fleet.
As of December 19, 2025, all 5,181 fishing vessels in the province are 100% registered and fully updated on the VNFishbase system and 100% have been granted fishing licenses. There are no vessels lacking proper registration or licensing.
For vessels that are inactive or no longer in use, the province has tasked local authorities with strict monitoring, including photographing mooring locations every seven days to digitize records and ensure that unqualified vessels do not return to fishing activities.
Furthermore, 100% of fishing vessels have been marked with identification numbers and the registration of vessels used for aquaculture services has been completed, eliminating the status of "off-the-grid" vessels with unidentified information.
Vessel monitoring and port control continue to be strictly and continuously enforced. Currently, 100% of active vessels 15 meters or longer have installed Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) and maintain 24/7 connectivity, even when docked. The monitoring stations are maintained around the clock to promptly detect, warn, and demand vessels return to Vietnamese waters if they cross boundaries.
Importantly, the province has deployed the electronic Catch Documentation and Traceability (eCDT) system at all fishing ports, ensuring that 100% of vessels 15 meters or longer perform port entry/departure procedures and maintain electronic logs. To date, 4,493 vessels have fully complied with the eCDT process.
The processing of catch certificates and origin confirmations has been conducted in strict accordance with regulations with no documentation errors requiring clarification. In 2025, the province issued: 28 receipts for 171 tons of seafood (cumulative: 1,360 receipts/7,627 tons); 5 Statement of Catch (SC) certificates for 58,170 tons (cumulative: 903 certificates/12,875.04 tons) and 7 Catch Certificates (CC) for 83,817 tons (cumulative: 877 certificates/12,460.578 tons).
In addition to technical and legal measures, Ca Mau has placed special emphasis on propaganda and advocacy. In 2025, the province conducted 102 documentaries and 877 news articles in print and online media; distributed 18,870 leaflets, 5,000 brochures and 10,000 posters; organized 47 training sessions with 4,007 participants and sent 51,403 informational messages to fishers.
The commune-level broadcasting system airs anti-IUU content twice daily, helping to elevate awareness and fostering consensus among fishing communities.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports sustained their upward trajectory in August 2026, though the pace remained modest at just 2%. The month saw divergent trends across key markets: the US maintained its leading position, Japan and Canada improved, Russia surged and the EU continued to experience a steep downturn. These developments suggest that exporters are entering the final months of the year amid a market environment marked by greater uncertainty.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached $3.3 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up 12% year on year. However, growth momentum is moderating and market divergece is becoming more pronounced, while the US and EU continue to present significant challenges. The latest insights from the Global shrimp forum 2026 (GSF 2026), held in early September, also indicate that the final months of the year will remain highly competitive as global supply continues to expand and buyers place greater emphasis on quality, product specifications, supply consistency and the ability to meet market-specific demand.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports continued to grow in August 2026, bringing total export value in the first eight months of the year to US$1.5 billion, up 10% year-on-year. August exports alone reached US$205 million, up 6%. However, market performance has become increasingly divergent, with China and Brazil posting positive growth while the U.S. continued to record a sharp decline.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached US$1.14 billion in August 2026, up 6.4% year on year, bringing the total for the first eight months to more than US$8.0 billion, an increase of 11.9%. Monthly export value remained above US$1 billion, but August growth was only around half the rate recorded cumulatively through the first eight months. This indicates that the eight-month result was supported significantly by stronger performance in earlier months, while market conditions are entering a less predictable period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius is attracting growing interest from Japanese seafood companies as prices of many traditional whitefish species remain high and supply becomes increasingly volatile. Notably, seafood group Kyokuyo has recently continued to feature pangasius among its priority products, highlighting its competitive pricing and stable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As Vietnam’s tilapia industry searches for new growth opportunities, venturing into brackish-water aquaculture could unlock a formidable competitive moat. Bypassing the volume-and-price bloodbath against established global heavyweights, Vietnam could differentiate itself through high-quality tilapia products tailored to specific farming conditions and value-added market segments.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) 2026 is rapidly shaping up to be a formidable stress test for Vietnamese pangasius exports to the United States. While exports to alternative markets maintain a resilient growth trajectory, the U.S market has declined significantly. In the first eight months of the year, pangasius exports to the U.S fell by nearly 14% year-on-year, with August alone recording a decline of more than 50%. The trend shows that difficulties in the U.S. market are not driven solely by weak consumer demand, but also by multiple layers of trade barriers that are intensifying simultaneously, particularly additional import tariffs, anti-dumping duties and growing protectionism for the domestic catfish industry.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Japan are showing positive signals in 2026, indicating that the market is opening up greater opportunities for pangasius products, particularly processed and value-added products. In the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Japan reached US$31 million, up 20% year-on-year. In July alone, export value reached approximately US$5 million, up 30%.
On July 22, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 292/2026/ND-CP detailing certain articles and providing measures for the organization and implementation of the Law on Foreign Trade Management. The Decree takes effect on September 5, 2026, replacing Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese pangasius producer Vinh Hoan has won the top prize at the 2026 Seafood Excellence Asia Awards for its Cured Panga Croquette, highlighting the growing potential of value-added pangasius products in international markets.
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