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) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
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