The sentence stems from the conviction of Seafood Solutions last July on a single count of selling fish in violation of the U.S. Lacey Act. Co-defendants Chau-Shing (Duke) Lin of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., and Christopher Ragone of Santa Ana, Calif., also pleaded guilty at the time — Lin to once count of violating the Lacey Act and one count of misbranding food and Ragone to two counts of misbranding food. They are due to be sentenced on 13 February.
On Monday, Seafood Solutions was fined USD 700,000 and ordered to donate USD 300,000 to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Additionally, the company was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to forfeit all remaining inventory of mislabeled fish and to develop and implement a corporate compliance plan.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), in approximately June 2004 Seafood Solutions began to sell a fish it labeled “ponga.” The fish was Pangasius hypophthalmus, a catfish-like species from Southeast Asia commonly known as tra or swai. The fish was then sold under the brand names “Paradise Grouper” and “Falcon Baie Grouper.”
Between July 2005 and February 2006, a wholesale distributor that had purchased the fish returned USD 411,194 worth of the product labeled as Paradise Grouper, Falcon Baie Grouper or ponga because the distributor’s customer mistakenly believed that the fish was grouper. Seafood Solutions agreed to be invoiced for and received the returned product, knowing that it had been mislabeled. Defendants Lin, Ragone and Seafood Solutions knowingly again sold the fish even after its return from the customer. From February 2006 to April 2006, Ragone sold USD 2 million worth of pangasius knowing that the product bore the Paradise Grouper and ponga labels.
The case was investigated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Law Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to a report by the General Statistics Office, the estimated pangasius output for January 2025 reached 102.5 thousand tons, representing a 6.0% increase compared to the corresponding period of the preceding year. This surge is attributed to the rise in pangasius material prices within the Mekong Delta, which has incentivized aquaculture farmers to expand their stocking activities. Concurrently, this price increase has facilitated processing enterprises to intensify procurement efforts to meet export demands during the early part of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Between 2015 and 2024, Vietnamese pangasius exporting enterprises have undergone notable transformations in rankings and experienced fluctuations in developmental strategies, competitive intensity, and business efficacy. This dynamic is clearly illustrated through shifts in export turnover and the proportional contribution to the national pangasius export volume among the Top 5 enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The outlook for Vietnam’s seafood exports remains positive, with a strong focus on maintaining growth in key markets like China and the U.S., while diversifying into new regions. As global trade policies continue to evolve, adaptability and strategic planning will be key to navigating the challenges ahead.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanks to improved pangasius prices and higher production, Vĩnh Hoàn's after-tax profit in Q4 2024 reached VND 440 billion, a 4.8-fold increase compared to the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to data from Vietnam’s Customs, in Q4 2024, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to China & Hong Kong reached USD 163 million, a 17% increase compared to the same period in 2023, with consistent growth across all months. The total value of pangasius exports to China & Hong Kong for 2024 reached USD 581 million, a 1% increase over the previous year.
Vietnam’s seafood exports are projected to maintain strong growth this year, potentially reaching 11 billion USD.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the final quarter of 2024, Vietnam’s surimi and fish cake exports showed consistent growth over the last three months. For the entire year 2024, exports of these products reached USD 298 million, down 2% compared to 2023. However, the final quarter saw more promising signs for the surimi and fish cake export sector, with some markets experiencing notable growth, such as Thailand, China, and Taiwan. Particularly, exports to Taiwan, which had seen continuous declines in the previous two quarters, surged by 301% in this quarter.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Another year of pride for Vietnam's pangasius exports has concluded, reaching over USD 2 billion and contributing 20% to Vietnam's total seafood export turnover.
Vietnam maintained its position as the fifth-largest seafood exporter to Singapore for 12 consecutive months, surpassing Japan for the first time in 2024, amid the intensifying competition in this market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Despite facing numerous challenges in the second half of the year, Vietnam's canned tuna exports concluded 2024 with a 17% increase compared to 2023, reaching USD 299 million. To maintain this growth momentum in 2025, the canned tuna production and export sector requires coordinated efforts from all stakeholders.
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