Speaking at the European Maritime Day in Sweden on May 22, Ewos’ CEO Kjell Bjordal argued that farmed seafood supply must reach 120 million metric tons by 2030 if the industry wants to meet the needs of a growing population. The world’s population is set to reach 8.2 people in 2030, up 17 percent from 7 billion today.
Fish is not only the best poised protein to meet this growing demand, the industry is also able to take on this growth by using substitutes for marine feed and by continuing to innovate, Bjordal said.
According to him farmed fish’s efficiency -- its low feed conversion ratio and carbon footprint -- combined with its healthy attributes mean it will be the winner on the global market. “We believe that the market allocates the raw materials to the most efficient production -- and fish, is the winner,” his presentation read. Carnivorous fish are only a drop in the ocean of farmed fish.
Only 3 percent of global farmed fish are carnivorous, and their production is expected to increase at an annual rate of 3.5 percent, reaching 5.2 million metric tons in 2030, up from 2.6 million metric tons in 2010. In contrast non-carnivorous fish production is expected to grow by 4.8 percent to 149 million fish in 2030, up from 57 metric tons in 2010.
“We can expect [the] percentage of non-carnivore fish ‘on feed’ to increase from 50 percent in 2010 to 80 percent in 2030, Bjordal’s presentation says.
Marine proteins are often cited as the main limitation to expanding aquaculture. While marine proteins can “to a large extent be replaced by vegetable proteins, the “only obvious limitation” consists of marine oils, namely the EPA and DHA fatty acids, Bjordal said.
However, here again there is hope. “We now have the technical capability to grow salmon on zero marine raw material,” even though the solution is not commercial viable at this stage, he said.
His comment referred to the industry’s progress in using oil from omega-3 rich algae to replace marine raw material. However, this technique is still relatively expensive compared to using fish oil.
In the future, the industry will look at solutions such as genetically modified vegetable oils, omega-3 producing micro-organisms and “harvesting oceans down the chain” to increase supply of the valuable fatty acids, Bjordal said.
This refers to the possibility of using algae as a potential future substitute for fish oil. Ewos is notably behind a project called CO2Bio which aims to take purified CO2 from the industrial site of Mongstad in Norway to cultivate algae.
On July 22, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 292/2026/ND-CP detailing certain articles and providing measures for the organization and implementation of the Law on Foreign Trade Management. The Decree takes effect on September 5, 2026, replacing Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese pangasius producer Vinh Hoan has won the top prize at the 2026 Seafood Excellence Asia Awards for its Cured Panga Croquette, highlighting the growing potential of value-added pangasius products in international markets.
(vasep.com.vn) The Global Shrimp Forum (GSF) 2026 is taking place from September 1–3 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, bringing together around 585 delegates from 40 countries, representing approximately 300 companies and organizations across the shrimp supply chain. Representatives from VASEP are attending the event as part of the Vietnamese delegation, strengthening connections with partners across the global shrimp industry.
(vasep.com.vn) At the international B2B seminar (Hosted Buyer Program) held as part of Vietfish 2026, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Pham, Sales Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, delivered a presentation entitled “Vietnam’s Shrimp Industry: Changing for Sustainability.” From the perspective of a seafood processor, the presentation highlighted that Vietnam’s shrimp industry continues to play a leading role in seafood exports, but is entering a new phase of competition in which change is no longer an option, but a prerequisite for growth.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) VIETFISH 2026 may have concluded after three dynamic days in Ho Chi Minh City, but conversations around the exhibition continue to resonate across international trade media, industry organizations, and the social media channels of participating companies.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia industry is maintaining strong growth momentum, with significant room for further expansion in the coming years. In 2025, total tilapia production reached approximately 420,000 tonnes, up 33% from 2024 and 2.2 times higher than in 2015. During 2015–2025, production grew at an average annual rate of around 8.4%. As production and exports continue to expand, food safety control is receiving increasing attention to ensure product quality, meet the increasingly stringent requirements of international markets, and provide a foundation for the sustainable development of Vietnam’s tilapia industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, as part of the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program continued with the seminar “Vietnam Seafood Outlook 2026–2027: A Strategic Sourcing Destination,” followed by 1-to-1 B2B meetings between international buyers and Vietnamese seafood businesses.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 on August 19 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), U.S. Consul General Melissa Brown highlighted the important role of the exhibition in connecting Vietnam’s growing seafood industry with buyers, suppliers, and partners from the United States and around the world.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
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