South Australian tuna sales to both China and Korea have risen from just 10 tons in 2012, to as much as 156 tons last year.
This year it is expected that this will rocket again, with up to 500 tons of fresh chilled bluefin being shipped from Port Lincoln’s tuna farms, before rising to 1,000 tons in 2015.
Port Lincoln tuna baron, Hagen Stehr, said that the rising sale of tuna to China and South Korea would likely lead to a buy-up of Port Lincoln tuna companies by Chinese seafood operators to help secure their future seafood supplies.
He said: “They have to because they are eating a lot more tuna in China, but it is getting harder and harder to find supplies around the world. Quite a few people are closely scrutinizing the Port Lincoln tuna farms as they consider buying into the industry.”
Stehr said that he believed fragility of some tuna businesses, along with changing business needs and regulations imposed by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority in Canberra, would mean that several companies would sell out to Chinese buyers.
Just last month, Australia’s largest fishing company, Austral Fisheries sold 50 percent of its firm to Japanese company, Maruha Nichiro Holdings. Chinese seafood investors have also bought a 25 percent stake in Tassal Group, Australia’s largest seafood company. The Chinese government is providing investment funds for its industries to buy seafood assets abroad.
Stehr added: “Consumption of tuna will increase rapidly in China and I know of Japanese companies pushing increasingly into China to sell tuna. It is inevitable that more people will come to Australia to secure their food and one is China with its 1.3 billion people.”
He stressed that Australia needs to improve its strategy for the agribusiness sector and food industry. “New Zealand is a small country with only four million people, but it is far ahead of Australia in marketing to China and Japan and they are a lot more switched on in selling their produce,” he said.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's tilapia exports reached USD 7 million in June 2026, down 32% compared with the same month in 2025. Nevertheless, thanks to strong growth in the first five months of the year, cumulative tilapia exports in the first half of 2026 totaled USD 69 million, up 67% year on year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company, a member of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), has been honored with the "Famous Brand - Competitive Vietnamese Brand 2026" certification at an award ceremony organized by the Vietnam Intellectual Property Association (VIPA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China imported nearly $1.4 billion worth of Vietnamese seafood in the first half of the year, a 40% increase compared to the same period last year, surpassing the US to become the largest export market for the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As part of Vietfish 2026, the International Seafood Hosted Buyer Program has been designed as a dedicated B2B matchmaking initiative for selected international buyers. The program provides opportunities to meet directly with Vietnamese seafood companies, gain market insights, and experience Vietnam's seafood supply chain firsthand.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) A Story from Cà Mau’s Coast It’s 5 AM in Cà Mau. Minh, a third-generation fisherman, is ready to set sail. But unlike his father and grandfather, his boat no longer runs on an old diesel engine that burns fuel and clouds the sky with smoke. Instead, it’s powered by a hybrid engine that saves 40% fuel—funded by an ESG program from a major seafood exporter.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius industry is shifting its focus from increasing production volume to enhancing value-added products in order to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets. In An Giang Province—the country's leading hub for pangasius farming and processing—businesses and farmers are prioritizing product quality, traceability, food safety, and sustainable development rather than expanding output.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following strong growth in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Sweden continued to edge higher during the first five months of 2026. However, the picture is far from straightforward. Orders have fluctuated significantly from month to month, indicating that this market remains cautious, with purchasing decisions closely tied to actual demand and the import cycles of Nordic distributors rather than to a steady upward trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports in the first five months of 2026 continued to surpass the same period in 2025, indicating that demand in the world’s largest seafood-consuming market remains strong. However, behind the growth figures lies an increasingly competitive landscape: Ecuador dominates the competitively priced whiteleg shrimp segment, India remains the second-largest supplier, while Vietnam stands out in the lobster segment but still needs to strengthen its advantages through quality, traceability, and reliable supply.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Lobster exports to China continued to surge in the first half of this year, putting the lobster industry on the verge of reaching an export value exceeding $1 billion.
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