Greenpeace has launched a public
Sealord Group -- NZ’s biggest canned tuna producer -- and theSeafood Industry Council (Seafic) are rejecting the campaign. However, thegreen organisation is asking supermarkets to quit stocking Sealord and otherbrands, and retailers are paying attention.
“Sealord must stopbuying tuna for its canned products from companies using fishing methods whichkill endangered sharks, turtles, juvenile tuna and other ocean species,” saidGreenpeace New Zealand Oceans Campaigner Karli Thomas.
FADs, Ms Thomas said, attractall sorts of ocean life, making the bycatch of purse seines up to 10 timeshigher than other methods, and this is threatening the health of the Pacific.
A video released on theorganisation’s website depicts what it believes will be the future contents ofSealord tuna cans if the company does not change how it sources its fish.
“Sealord promotethemselves as ‘the seafood experts’ but there’s nothing smart about catchingeverything in the ocean then throwing back what you don’t want, injured, deador dying. That’s exploitation, not expertise,” Ms Thomas accused.
Last week, Sealord said it was updating its branding and hasargued that all its tuna is caught sustainably.
"In the area whereour tuna is fished, there are more than four billion skipjack tuna and morethan 380 million yellowfin tuna," Sealord Group communications managerAlison Sykora said, reports The Nelson Mail.
But Ms Thomas refutedthe statement and said that as long as the company does not switch to moresustainable fishing methods, it is not serious about sustainability.
Seafic said theGreenpeace campaign "ignores economic and environmental realities."CEO Peter Bodeker said pole-and-line fishing would not produce enough tuna tomeet the demand and would harm Pacific baitfish stocks.
Either way, more than7,500 concerned consumers have emailed New Zealand’s five main canned tunabrands over the last month asking them to switch to less destructive fishingmethods. Pams has responded by saying it is starting to take steps to offer asustainable option by introducing a pole and line caught range of canned tunaby year’s end, and said it was “actively investigating” alternative options toFAD-caught tuna.
“This is an encouragingstep in the right direction and follows what’s happening in overseas markets,”says Ms Thomas.
In the UK, all but oneof the major canned tuna brands have promised to stop using tuna caught bypurse seiners using FADs.
(Fis.com)
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
(vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Chile imported more than USD 156 million worth of tuna, up 8.1% compared to the previous year and the highest level in the past five years. As the supply structure in this market is rapidly shifting, Vietnamese tuna is facing both opportunities to expand market share and increasing competitive pressure from Thailand, Colombia, and China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vinh Long Province is stepping up efforts to develop brackish water shrimp farming in a sustainable direction, identifying it as a key sector in its agricultural structure. In 2026, the province aims to reach around 71,300 hectares of shrimp farming, with an output of over 314,000 tons.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ha Tinh Province is strengthening control over shrimp seed quality to minimize risks for the 2026 spring–summer farming season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports reached USD 119 million, down slightly 5% year-on-year. However, thanks to strong performance in January, cumulative exports in the first two months of the year still reached USD 331 million, up 28% compared to the same period in 2025. Export activity slowed somewhat in February due to seasonal factors, particularly the Lunar New Year holiday, which disrupted production and shipments at many seafood processing enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang is accelerating the development of high-tech shrimp farming toward intensive production, disease control, and improved efficiency. Many shrimp farms have invested in automated environmental monitoring systems, continuously tracking indicators such as pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity, enabling farmers to promptly adjust pond conditions and reduce disease risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The year 2025 is considered a turning point for Vietnam’s shrimp seed industry as the sector faces the need for strong transformation in technology, production management, and gradual self-sufficiency in broodstock supply. These factors are seen as key to improving seed quality and strengthening the competitiveness of the shrimp industry amid increasingly demanding market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In February 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached nearly USD 310 million, up 17% year-on-year. Cumulatively for the first two months of the year, shrimp export value totaled USD 690 million, an increase of 20% compared with the same period last year. Compared with the 22% growth recorded in January, the pace of increase in February slowed somewhat, reflecting seasonal factors as the Lunar New Year holiday partially disrupted processing and shipment activities. Nevertheless, the nearly 20% growth in the first two months indicates that shrimp orders from Vietnam are maintaining a more positive trend than in the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the latest statistics for January 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius export value to major market blocs recorded encouraging growth compared with the same period last year, indicating that consumption demand is gradually recovering.
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