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) 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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Aquaculture, capture fisheries, and seed production activities in Lam Dong in the early months of 2026 continued to show positive signs, with both output and farming area slightly increasing compared to the same period, contributing to maintaining overall industry stability.
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