The measures have already been agreed by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
The Parliament’s rapporteur on the issue, Spanish Green MEP Raül Romeva i Rueda, had wanted the EU to go further, but his amendments were voted down in the Parliament’s fisheries committee in December.
The new rules, which deal with how fish can be caught and how they are landed, will be valid until the end of 2014. They impose a reduction on the number of EU vessels allowed to catch bluefin tuna to 72.
Romeva said the final vote, which will mean that the EU meets minmum international commitments, would be a “missed opportunity for the EU to take meaningful steps to prevent the demise of bluefin”.
But he said the EU would have another opportunity to push for more stringent quotas and regulations when the ICCAT meets in November.
The extent of the illegal activity in the Mediterranean was made clear last year when bluefin tuna fishing continued almost without interruption in Libyan waters – even though there was an official ban on fishing during the war.
In a statement Tuesday, Maria Damanaki, the European commissioner for fisheries, said the EU will beef up inspection during this year’s bluefin tuna fishing season – which runs from from Wednesday (16 May) to 14 June. Vessels from seven EU member states are active in bluefin tuna fishing: Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain.
MEPs will also vote on whether to rubber-stamp a bilateral fisheries agreement with Mozambique. The deal, which will be valid until the end of 2014, will see the EU pay €980,000 for access to the Mozambique fishing zone. Some MEPs have expressed concern that there is insufficient fishing activity in the area by European vessels to justify the agreement.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(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.
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