It is expected that the new BAP farm standards will go live in the spring of 2013, following further technical scrutiny by the Standards Oversight Committee. Currently, the comments -- which were received from fish farmers, academics and NGOs from Australasia, Asia, Europe and America -- are being reviewed and will be published, along with the BAP responses and any changes to the standards, on the GAA website.
Logistics aside, the new BAP farm standards tackle the issue of social responsibly much more rigorously than the previous BAP farm standards, which were separately tailored for shrimp, salmon, tilapia, Pangasius and catfish. According to the GAA the new BAP farm standards apply to all types of production systems for finfish and crustaceans, excluding cage-raised salmonids, for which separate BAP farm standards exist.
Awareness of social responsibility -- and the need to ensure that workers on farms and in processing plants are safe and treated fairly -- has increased significantly in the decade since the first BAP farm standards for shrimp were created, said BAP Standards Coordinator Dan Lee.
In fact, the new BAP farm standards contain 33 clauses relating to worker safety and employee relations, compared to just 12 clauses in the BAP farm standards they are replacing.
"If you consider that the BAP shrimp farm standards were launched almost a decade ago and how the industry has progressed, it’s easy to understand that the consensus on best practices for social accountability has evolved and requirements are now stricter and more comprehensive. Thus, during a BAP inspection, the third-party auditor is now expected to spend more time probing social issues," Lee said. "What stands out now is that the requirements are spelled out in greater detail so that program participants can be under no illusions about the high standards needed to get a BAP certificate."
Lee said the new standards are much more detailed.
"Examples of topics that are now covered in more detail are child labor, forced or bonded labor, wages, benefits, holidays and overtime, deductions, migrant workers, sub-contracted workers, piece workers, contracts and harassment. On top of all this, there are requirements relating to worker health and safety. So, in total, the requirements amount to a very comprehensive package of assurance," he said.
There’s a heightened awareness of social responsibility as of late. What would you say to a seafood supplier or retailer who’s increasingly concerned that a particular country’s labor laws are lacking or aren’t being properly enforced? Can a third-party certification program like the BAP program be part of the solution?
Lee added that seafood companies worried about labor law enforcement from their suppliers may find the new BAP standards particulary of interest.
"Nearly all countries have detailed labor laws, and they are often drafted to comply with international labor standards. But the problem is, to a very great extent, one of weak enforcement. Third-party schemes can play a valuable role in ensuring that legal requirements are complied with. And it is the export sector that often leads the way in driving up social standards. The BAP program has the added advantage of tackling social issues at all levels of the supply chain, including at the hatchery, feed mill and processing plant, as well as the farm."
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The 2026 brackish water shrimp farming season in the Mekong Delta has started earlier than usual, mainly driven by positive market signals, as shrimp prices in 2025 remained high and supply was limited. Many enterprises and farms in Cần Thơ, Cà Mau, and Vĩnh Long have proactively stocked early to seize opportunities. By early 2026, stocking areas in many localities had reached a high proportion of planned targets, with intensive and high-tech farming models expanding rapidly.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States recorded remarkable growth in 2025, opening up major opportunities while also presenting considerable challenges. The U.S. remains the largest importer of Vietnamese tilapia fillets, with export turnover reaching USD 40 million—an increase of up to 499% compared to 2024. This impressive growth reflects strong demand in the U.S. market, as supply from competing countries such as China has been constrained by tariffs and rising production costs.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains a strategic export commodity in Vietnam’s seafood sector. Entering 2026, the industry faces a strong need to transition from volume-based growth to a value-driven development model, with a focus on quality, food safety, and sustainability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Following damage caused by Storm No. 13 in late 2025, brackish water shrimp farming in Gia Lai is being rapidly restored. In key farming areas such as Tuy Phước and Tuy Phước Đông, farmers are focusing on rehabilitating ponds, repairing infrastructure, and treating the environment in preparation for the 2026 crop.
(seafood.vasep.com) Facing the decline in fishery resources, Vietnam is accelerating livelihood transitions for fishermen to reduce fishing pressure and move toward sustainable development. Marine fish stocks have dropped significantly from 4.82 million tons in 2000–2005 to 3.95 million tons in 2016–2020.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp industry is entering a period of strong transformation with the emergence of various high-tech farming models, helping improve productivity and competitiveness. Over the past 5–10 years, farming practices have shifted from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive systems, featuring lined ponds, environmental sensors, automated feeding, and data management.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) – On March 19, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a meeting with the European Commission (EC) inspection delegation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, led by Mr. Fernando Andresen Guimaraes, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).
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