An initial US$100,000 grant will fund a scoping study to establish The Marine Change Enterprise (MCE), combining experts from Southeast Asia with 40 years of experience in seafood trading, fisheries management, and advocacy. Using for-profit and non-profit strategies, MCE will analyze the current state of Asia’s fishing industry using environmental, social, and economic criteria. MCE’s research will be used to improve the efficiency of the supply chain between small to medium sized regional fishing operations and Southeast Asian markets, creating sustainable and equitable fishing practices that are economically viable.
“Right now 30% of all fish caught in Asia is wasted before it even makes it to the marketplace,” explains Our Source Consultancy and MCE founder Andrew Bassford, “if the small-to-medium size fleets that dominate Asia can improve the efficiency of their operations, it will improve the supply chain as a whole.”
MCE’s work has global implications as well. Over the past 50 years, seafood production has shifted from the developed to the developing world. The Asia Pacific region alone produces over half of the world’s wild caught seafood and a staggering 90% of farmed seafood. Compounded by environmental degradation and climate change, the industry’s exponential growth has placed enormous stress on fish stocks, the fishing industry, and fishing dependent communities.
The uncertainty of Asia’s fishing industry has made it harder for local fishing communities to access needed funding from investors. In turn, Southeast Asian communities whose livelihoods have depended on fishing for generations have suffered an economic downturn, further perpetuating unsustainable fishing practices.
Despite the growing awareness of the private sector that current practices are not sustainable, the response by governments, NGOs, independent fisherman, and fishing fleets have not been collaborative, or comprehensive enough, to create substantial change. Give2Asia’s new partnership facilitates the broad response needed by experts, funders, and Southeast Asia’s fishing industry, to help reverse this trend.
(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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