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.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
(vasep.com.vn) Changing markets, shifting buyer demand, and increasingly complex trade barriers are raising a key question for Vietnam’s seafood industry: Where will the new growth opportunities lie in 2027–2029?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of the end of August 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States reached $21 million, representing a steep 48% year-over-year decline and accounting for 23% of the country's total tilapia export turnover. Frozen fillets accounted for 78% with the remainder consisting of whole frozen tilapia and frozen cuts.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a volatile first half of the year, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Brazil registered robust growth in July and August 2026. In August alone, export turnover reached $19 million, surging 73% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulatively for the first eight months, total export value reached $124 million, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Besides modifying their boats, many fishermen in Dak Lak province are making efforts to venture out to sea to harvest seafood during the rough sea season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the Responsible Seafood Summit and TCRS Shrimp Summit 2026, organized by the GSA (Global Seafood Alliance) in Bangkok, Thailand, the conversation about the future of the shrimp industry began with one of its most important foundations: seedstock quality.
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