After a long-term decline in wild harvests, there have been some recent improvements and, in the short term, total groundfish supplies are expected to increase slightly in 2012. Supplies of farmed whitefish, including pangasius and tilapia, are not expected to grow substantially in the near future. Cod prices are expected to climb somewhat, while Alaska pollock prices will continue to decline.
Barents Sea cod stocks have improved significantly and are the largest in decades. The 2012 quota is up 8 percent over 2011, to 750 000 tonnes. At the same time, the haddock quota has increased by 5 percent, to 318 000 tonnes. However, other parts of the world have seen reductions in quotas. The 2012 quota for eastern Bering Sea Alaska pollock was reduced by 4 percent to 1.20 million tonnes, and hake resources in South America appear to be under strain.
Given the rich cod fisheries, Norwegian exporters had a good 2011, with groundfish exports reaching USD 1.9 billion, a new record. The biggest increase was in exports of frozen whole fish to China for further processing.
China’s share of the EU market for whitefish fillets has grown dramatically over the past decade, from 8 percent of cod supplies to the EU in 2001 to 30 percent in 2011. In the same period, China’s share of Alaska pollock fillets grew from 47 percent to 64 percent, and its share of the EU market for haddock fillets increased from just 3 percent to 35 percent.
A closed season for hake was introduced during the first quarter of 2012 in the Uruguay–Argentina Common Fishing Zone in order to protect juvenile stocks. In Peru, the government has imposed a strict management regime for common hake, under which the 2012 fishing season will end once the 8 600 tonne quota is reached.
Efforts to rebuild hoki stocks in New Zealand have had positive results, and enabled an 8 percent increase of the 2012 hoki quota to 130 000 tonnes. Hoki exports are mainly aimed at regional markets such as Australia and Japan.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a fairly strong upward trend in 2025, Vietnam’s clam exports entered 2026 with a mixed picture: strong growth at the beginning of the year, followed by a slowdown from March onward. According to Vietnam Customs data, Vietnam’s clam export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached more than USD 38 million, up 2% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is facing new opportunities to expand its development space as many localities and businesses begin promoting marine farming models aimed at diversifying farming areas and adapting to climate change. However, for pangasius to truly “go offshore” and develop into a large-scale industry segment, significant challenges related to technology, broodstock, and markets still need to be addressed.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports in April 2026 reached USD 11 million, up 92% compared to the same period in 2025. This strong growth indicates that Vietnamese tilapia products are continuing to penetrate and expand rapidly in international markets. Cumulative export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 49 million, up 151% year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com) At VietShrimp Asia 2026, disease management trends in shrimp farming are shifting strongly from treatment-based approaches toward proactive prevention through environmental and pond ecosystem control.
(vasep.com.vn) After a period of strong growth, with export turnover reaching USD 38 million in Q1/2026 — up 174% year-on-year — the sector’s rapid expansion clearly reflects growing market opportunities.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the ASEAN bloc reached USD 44 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025. After falling to the lowest level of the quarter at USD 9 million in February — reflecting the seasonal slowdown in orders after the festive period — exports recovered strongly to USD 18 million in March, the highest monthly value of the quarter. This development shows that import demand for pangasius in ASEAN remains relatively stable despite short-term fluctuations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 11, 2026, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive comparability finding for Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries, along with those of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With this decision, seafood and seafood products harvested from Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries will continue to be eligible for import into the US market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a slowdown in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Germany showed more positive signs in the first quarter of 2026. However, the recovery remains uncertain as consumer demand in Germany is still cautious, while market competition is increasingly driven by pricing and supply stability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a sharp decline in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel are showing positive signs of recovery in the early months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover to this market grew steadily month by month in Q1/2026, reaching nearly USD 10 million, up 33% compared to the same period in 2025. However, compared to Q1/2024, this level remains significantly lower, indicating that the recovery is still in its early stage following last year’s strong adjustment.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Entering 2026, the U.S. whitefish market has shown complex developments as global cod supply continues to tighten, while the U.S. trade environment becomes less stable. In this context, the U.S. market has had to become more flexible in sourcing alternative whitefish. However, relying heavily on Alaska pollock is not a long-term solution, as it is a strictly managed fishery with quotas and sustainability regulations, limiting any rapid increase in output to offset cod shortages.
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